Li Zhenzhen sobbed even louder knowing that these women who were competing for her husband's favour killed her child. 'My poor baby! She wasn't even born and she already died?!' How couldn't she hate them all? Even her 'loving husband wasn't spared. Why did he have so many concubines, all of whom had a higher status than her? 'Even though l act impartially normally, my heart hurts, even more, knowing he favours them more than me.' Her heart was dripping blood and her teeth were itching with hatred. She glanced at the people present so fiercely as though she was trying to imprint that exact moment in her mind. 'I won't forget this!'
An imperial doctor used a silver needle and pricked the soup and all the side dishes to check for musk. The needle immediately turned red and he confirmed that there was musk in all the dishes as well.
Seeing the table full of musk and the small jar filled with musk, Bai Lianhua didn't know what to say. 'Are these women smart or dumb?' Her knees hurt because she was kneeling on the ground for too long but she didn't dare get up. Her innocence hadn't been cleared yet.
She looked up and took a tentative glance at Long Aotian, then suggested: "Why not check all the other concubine's residences? Maybe the musk will show up there!" All the concubines were instantly uneasy. There were some secret things that they didn't want to expose and they knew that someone would frame them. Feng Minyan also clenched her fists under her sleeves secretly knowing she couldn't escape some blame.
'Who was the bitch that put musk in the food? I wanted Fang Lianhua to think l put the musk in the food but l told an ally to put it under the bed. That way, no one will notice it for some time. Who ruined my plans!!'
Long Aotian immediately sent out his servants again to check all the other residences and soon, they came back with some small sandalwood boxes and a porcelain bottle. Bai Lianhua immediately recognised the medicated food she'd given the concubines earlier. Wen Lili also recognised the porcelain bottle. 'What the hell? I thought this was a powdered medicine which was why l gave it to the kitchen! Why is this here now?'
The imperial doctor checked everything that was brought by the servants. Long Aotian asked whether there was any musk and the doctor nodded.
"Whose boxes are these?"
All the concubines raised their hands slightly. Long Aotian frowned so he asked Wang Xiuying where she got hers from. She replied hastily: "It's not mine - Aunt Fang sent some out to all the concubines and the Madam when she first came."
Bai Lianhua immediately spoke up to defend herself: "This is indeed true. But someone is framing me! I never had any musk before l entered the mansion and these medicated foods were made before l got married. If any musk is found, it must have been put there intentionally by other people intending to frame me! Master! You must seek justice for me."
Wen Lili shivered and tried to argue. "But you had access to musk when you were working for the empress..." Bai Lianhua couldn't deny that. In fact, it was hard for her to claim innocence seeing as things were so against her.
She still looked at Wen Lili straight in the eyes and asked: "Why would l put musk in all the concubine's foods when l could just target the Madam? Also, why would l do this poisoning in such a conspicuous way? The final thing is, did the Madam eat my medicated food from start to finish?"
Li Zhenzhen shook her head. She hadn't eaten the medicated food at all.
Bai Lianhua smiled and gave Long Aotian a meaningful glance feeling victory was near. "If she hadn't eaten my medicated food, then this concubine can't be the cause of her miscarriage. If you want to include me as a suspect, I'll have you, the master, know that l only bought musk yesterday so l didn't have enough time to put things under Madam's bed."
Long Aotian concealed fury and smiled at her: "It's good that you are so sensible. Come, stand up and we can continue finding out the truth of this matter." Bai Lianhua grasped his hand and then stood up. She wobbled a bit because her legs were numb and Long Aotian had to hold her waist to stop her from falling. All the ladies present were so jealous that she could get so close to him and also wash away all the allegations against her.
Long Aotian pointed to the porcelain bottle and asked whose residence it was found at.
A servant bowed and replied respectfully: "This servant found the porcelain bottle at Wen Lili's courtyard."
Wen Lili also knelt down and pleaded her innocence. She knew that she couldn't escape punishment but she didn't want to be beaten either so she tried to put this pot of bad luck on others.
"This concubine doesn't know why that porcelain bottle was in my courtyard. I have never seen it before." Then she moved forward and looked closely at the bottle before gasping in surprise. "This looks like the porcelain bottle that l saw in Aunt Wang's courtyard two days ago."
Wang Xiuying was so startled that she almost fell down. She also examined the bottle and knew that Wen Lili told the truth. She didn't kneel but she still spoke respectfully: "Master, that bottle was in my courtyard before. I found it an abandoned courtyard where the medicinal dregs are normally disposed of. I only kept it in my courtyard for a few days before it went missing. I don't know where it went and l never bothered to check whether there was any musk in the bottle."
Feng Minyan paled. 'How did she find that? I told my ally to bury it very deeply so no one could find it. How did she find it?!!'
Bai Lianhua noticed this change and immediately stabbed Feng Minyan with words: "Aunt Feng, why the sudden paleness? Are you not feeling well?"
Everyone stared at her, feeling that she looked quite suspicious. Feng Minyan was very confident the entire time other concubines were being interrogated. But with the mention of this porcelain bottle, her complexion changed. If that didn't signal guilt, then nothing else would for now.
Long Aotian felt an intense pain in his temple and had to massage his forehead with his free hand. 'This is such a mess! I can't let go of Feng Minyan or Wang Xiuying! Fang Lianhua was clearly prepared and was very innocent. I can only sacrifice Wen Lili.'
He summoned the system and asked to see Wen Lili's level of luck. After seeing it, he was relieved to see that she had the lowest luck amongst all the concubines with Li Zhenzhen's being the highest. If Bai Lianhua knew this, she would be shocked as to how she could have lower luck!
Feng Minyan also pretended to sway and then she pressed a kerchief over her mouth. Her dowry maid quickly brought a cup of tea and Feng Minyan hurriedly drank it. The imperial doctor ran over and checked her pulse. "Congratulations! The lady is pregnant!" Bai Lianhua's eyes widened: 'How have things changed so much? I don't remember there being an extra pregnancy during this time! In fact, there were no pregnancies until Long Aotian ascended the throne!"
Li Zhenzhen wanted to throw her porcelain bowl that was filled with medicine on Feng Minyan's belly. 'Since these bitches don't want me to be happy, they can't be happy either!' She hid her vicious smile by burying her head under her bedsheets. Long Aotian was also dumbfounded - he obviously didn't visit her courtyard for half a month - how could she be pregnant?