At this point in time, Liang Yu was at a loss of what to do. “Mother!”, he cried as he ran to Nanny Zhou, grabbing her hands. After confirming that her hands were ice-cold, he was visibly relaxed. Dead, she was dead. As long as she was dead, they could easily make up a story. If she was still alive, they would be in deep trouble.
In midst of the chaos, an attendant informed Chu Junyi that Doctor Chen had arrived.
“Bring Doctor Chen here, he can treat Second Miss Shen as well.” Chu Junyi ordered immediately.
Hearing this, Shen Ninghua turned around with a plan forming in her head.
Shen Dong hurriedly greeted Chen Yun as he arrived, “Doctor Chen, my daughter fell into the pond, please take a look at her.”
Chen Yun nodded, frowning. Without greeting the Fifth Prince, he rushed to Shen Linghan.
Zhao Shi carried Shen Linghan in her arms. Seeing her frightened state, Zhao Shi steeled her heart and pinched Shen Linghan’s sides. “Linghan, why did you fall into the pool? Are you trying to scare me to death?” Zhao Shi said to her.
The pain seemed to have woken Shen Linghan from her trance-like state. After processing what Zhao Shi said to her, she suddenly broke into tears, “Mother, I was just walking by the pond, but I felt a push from someone. It is fortunate that I was lucky, or I won’t be able to see Mother anymore…”
Shen Ninghua sneered in her heart when Zhao Shi had already wiped the grime away from Shen Linghan’s face and tidied her hair. The pale, shivering and tearful Shen Linghan garnered plenty of pity from the onlookers. Hearing that someone had pushed her into the pond, everyone turned their attention to finding the perpetrator.
The First Lady’s expression hardened. “Who would dare… Who would dare to plot against a young miss from the Shen family? Master……” she said, holding back tears.
The loud commotion not only caused the Old Madam, Xiao Shi, to arrive; the Second Lady Su Shi and the Third Lady Meng Shi also arrived with their maids in tow.
Su Shi heard the First Lady’s words just as she arrived, and she instantly exclaimed, “who has the audacity to plot against the Shen family? First Shen Ninghua was framed for poisoning the wine, now Shen Linghan was pushed into the pond. It seems that someone is trying to harm both of the young missus in our Shen family! Ah, Fifth Prince, I did not know we still had guests here. Do forgive my insolence.”
Baili Jinze gave a slight nod, “it’s no matter, madam.”
Zhao Shi nearly fell from anger, Su Shi was helping that wrench Shen Ninghua! Shen Ninghua was supposed to be the one poisoning the wine, yet Su Shi turned her into the victim?
Shen Ninghua gave Su Shi a slight bow, “Second Aunt.”
Su Shi held Shen Ninghua’s arm and pulled her arm, smiling affectionately at her. “Get up, poor child. You have suffered today. First it was the poison in the wine, then a murder, followed by a search in your courtyard, not to mention those accursed crows still circling above us. So many things are all happening at once, it’s truly worrying.”
Shen Ninghua lowered her head, hiding the smile that was spreading across her face. She was already starting to feel closer to the Second Lady. Su Shi hails from the Su family, a well-known military family. She was the favourite daughter of Old General Su, and she grew up among soldiers, causing her to be straightforward and outgoing. In her previous life, Su Shi was also very welcoming to Shen Ninghua, but they grew apart as time went on. Now that Su Shi was still willing to stand on her side, Shen Ninghua decided to cherish this chance.
“I apologise for causing Aunt to worry, I am fine. Younger sister needs more attention than me. After all, she fell into the pond.”
“Such a kind child, the Old Madam has often praised your filiality, saying that none of us could compare to you.” Su Shi said lovingly, holding her hand.
Su Shi’s words, though spoken in a half-jokingly manner, caused the people around her to start thinking. They all saw those intricate presents that Shen Ninghua had prepared, all those embroidery and books… Why would such a filial daughter poison their wine?
The First Lady clenched her teeth, her grip on Shen Linghan tightened unconsciously. That meddlesome Su Shi!
“Mother……” Shen Linghan whispered, her mother’s grip was starting to hurt.
Zhao Shi snapped back to reality, and she hurriedly asked Doctor Chen to look at her daughter.
Chen Yun was observing the situation the moment he arrived. Upon the First Lady’s request, he simply said without moving, “from her complexion, the Second Miss should be fine. A bowl of ginger tea to fight off the cold would be sufficient. But would you still like to save the nanny that is lying here?”
What?
Zhao Shi’s eyes widened, wasn’t Nanny Zhou supposed to be dead?
Stunned, Liang Yu stood still with his words stuttering, “Doctor…,are…are you saying… my mother… is not dead?”
“Would I joke about a human life? She is still breathing, I can save her.” Chen Yun frowned.
Zhao Yunxiang’s face turned pale, she had ordered Nanny Qin to abduct Nanny Zhou to the Shen house and put her corpse in Shen Ninghua’s courtyard after strangling her to death. She believed that since Nanny Zhou would be dead anyways, there was no need to be discrete about it. She simply ordered her underlings, all of whom Nanny Zhou recognises, to do the deed. If Nanny Zhou were to awaken, she would definitely betray the First Lady.
Seeing the First Lady’s reaction, Shen Ninghua sneered mentally. When Wan Xiang was sent to her by the First Lady, she had already began to be wary of her. Who knew Qing Que actually found something amiss. A day ago, Qing Que noticed the First Lady’s underling kidnapping Nanny Zhou and reported it immediately to Shen Ninghua.
However, Shen Ninghua had to acknowledge the First Lady for being really thorough in her plan. To make Nanny Zhou seem dead for some time, she ordered Nanny Qin to kill her a day before. Shen Ninghua decided to throw her plot right back at the First Lady, but she did not expect Nanny Zhou to still be alive after all that. Shen Ninghua decided on a better idea, and ordered Qing Que to deliver Nanny Zhou a pill, and prepared for the show today.
Thinking back to Shen Linghan’s screams in the pond, Shen Ninghua had Granny Poison to thank. Even though she suffered a lot under her, she had learnt plenty of self-defence skills. The Tortoise Hibernation pill was one of it. After consuming it, one would go into a pseudo-death state, and could even survive underwater for two hours. She secretly sprayed the pill’s antidote on Shen Linghan’s body so when she fell into the pond, the antidote would take effect and wake Nanny Zhou up, causing the scene just now.
This would count as beating the First Lady at her own game, right?
Chu Junyi saw the cold gaze from Shen Ninghua, his mind racing even after reviewing all that had happened. He could not quite understand how everything happened but he was sure of one thing, Shen Ninghua had something to do with all this. Curious what this girl was still hiding, he decided to help her one more time:
“Uncle Chen, since this person can still be saved, then save her. The Second Miss has said it as well, this nanny had once served them. The First Lady and her would not want this nanny to suffer as well. Lady, Second Miss, do not worry, Uncle Chen’s skills are among the best, so even if she had already reached the gates, Uncle Chen can pull her back to us.”
Shen Ninghua scoffed silently, as Chu Junyi spoke, the twisted look on Zhao Yunxiang and Shen Linghan’s faces were hilarious! It was the first time that she had seen something like this, and it was a good sign.
As she was enjoying herself, her hostility towards Chu Junyi lessened considerably. No matter what his goal was, Shen Ninghua would admit that she owed this person a favour.
