After entering the book, the cold prince begs for favor

Chapter 380 Interrogation in the Flower Hall

Aunt Shen's face turned deathly pale as she stared at Yuan Wanru in disbelief: "Impossible... This is absolutely impossible..."

Her voice trembled, her eyes filled with surprise and doubt, "In all these years you've been in the Lu family, I've never seen this in you..."

Yuan Wanru took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Whether it is or not, it's not really important."

She set down her teacup, the porcelain clinking against the table with a crisp sound: "The important thing is, you are indeed a spy planted in the Marquis's residence by the Second Prince and the Liang family. Do you still want to deny that?"

Suddenly, Aunt Shen burst into tears: "Old Madam, please be wise! The Heir Apparent's wife is making baseless accusations! I have served in this household for many years, always keeping to my proper place. How could I possibly be a spy?"

She turned to Lu Bai, tears streaming down her face, "My lord, you must do justice for me! As for the old lady's poisoning, I truly knew nothing about it!"

Lu Bai hesitated after hearing her tearful plea, his eyes shifting back and forth between Yuan Wanru and Aunt Shen.

Although Old Madam Lu could barely speak, she still stubbornly argued with Yuan Wanru: "Second son... don't listen to this poisonous woman's nonsense..."

Every word she uttered seemed to come with all her might. "She said the Shen family poisoned her... Where's the evidence? Maybe... she herself was the one who poisoned her..."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Wanru chuckled softly, the sound particularly jarring in the somber flower hall: "Since the old lady doesn't believe us, then let's bring up witnesses. We must convince you and Second Uncle, otherwise, wouldn't our eldest branch suffer an unjust injustice?"

With a wave of her hand, Xuan Ying immediately brought forward seven or eight servants.

Yuan Wanru's gaze was like a knife, pointing directly at the trembling Chef Li: "Chef Li, tell me, did Aunt Shen give you a packet of powder to put in the soup today?"

Chef Li knelt down with a thud, his forehead touching the ground: "No! Absolutely not! Your Highness, you are wise enough to know, even if I had the greatest courage in the world, I wouldn't dare add anything to the soup!"

Upon seeing this, Old Madam Lu let out a weak, cold laugh: "I knew it... it was all her own doing..."

Yuan Wanru remained calm and slowly walked up to Chef Li: "Do you know that the powder can be fatal?"

She pointed to the pale-faced Old Madam Lu, "The old lady is almost half dead now. If it's confirmed that you were the one who poisoned her..." She deliberately drew out her words, "...according to the laws of the Great Jing Dynasty, plotting against an official's family member is punishable by death by a thousand cuts."

Upon hearing this, Chef Li collapsed to the ground: "Please spare me, Madam! Aunt Shen did give me a packet of powder, saying it was the Old Madam's favorite spice... I was foolish, but I had absolutely no intention of harming anyone!"

Chef Li is certainly not confused.

However, during this period, Aunt Shen became a favorite of the old lady. She was also very good at flattery, and she was very generous with the reward money she gave him every time she asked him to do something.

That's why Chef Li listened to Aunt Shen's instructions without hesitation.

Consort Shen forced herself to remain calm: "I only provided ordinary spices. The Crown Prince's wife is framing me like this; I refuse to accept it!"

Yuan Wanru smiled slightly: "No rush."

She turned to Liu Yan, "Go and get a bowl of soup for Sixth Miss. She left early and probably didn't eat enough."

"The cherry meat was quite good. Send a plate of it to Sixth Miss as well, and tell her... the Old Madam specifically instructed her to finish it."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Shen's expression changed drastically, but she still bit her lip tightly and remained silent.

Yuan Wanru leisurely sipped her tea and said softly, "Second Uncle has quite a few children. Rather than causing trouble later, it would be better to..."

She paused meaningfully, then said, "Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots."

Liu Yan had already packed the food box and was about to leave the flower hall when Aunt Shen finally broke down and shouted, "No!"

She lunged forward to stop him, but Shi Ying kicked her to the ground. "Lady of the Heir Apparent... how cruel you are!"

Yuan Wanru raised an eyebrow: "I was just worried that Sixth Sister hadn't eaten enough, how is that cruel?"

She looked around at everyone. "Since the food isn't poisonous, why can't we give it to Sixth Miss? Madam, don't you agree?"

At this moment, everyone present realized that the food had indeed been poisoned by Aunt Shen!

Lu Bai's face was ashen, while Old Madam Lu slumped in her chair, her eyes finally revealing fear.

-

After all the irrelevant people had left, the flower hall returned to silence, with only the occasional soft crackling of the candlelight.

Yuan Wanru sat upright in the round-backed chair, her fingertips lightly tapping the table, each tap seeming to strike Shen Yiniang's heart.

"Tell me," Yuan Wanru said softly, yet with an undeniable air of authority, "What good deeds have you done for the Lu family over the years?"

Aunt Shen knelt on the ground, head bowed, without uttering a word.

"Weren't you the one who stirred up trouble behind Aunt Pan's affair?"

Yuan Wanru continued to ask, her gaze as sharp as a knife.

Aunt Shen remained silent, but her slightly trembling fingers betrayed her inner unease.

"It seems so." Yuan Wanru sneered, picked up her teacup and took a sip. "There's still one thing I don't understand. Last year, my second aunt had someone lure me to Wangzhu Lake. Wasn't it you who pushed me into the water?"

Seeing that Aunt Shen still did not answer, Yuan Wanru gave Shi Ying a wink.

Shi Ying understood and stepped forward to gently tap Aunt Shen's nape.

"ah--!"

Suddenly, Aunt Shen let out a piercing scream, curling up into a ball and rolling on the ground, her ten fingers digging deep into the cracks of the blue bricks until her knuckles turned bluish-white. Large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, wetting the stray hairs at her temples.

"Still won't you tell me?"

Yuan Wanru looked down at her condescendingly, "Aunt Shen, although Lu Sha is just a child, she is still your flesh and blood. If you want to save her life..."

She suddenly raised her voice, "You'd better confess now."

"Poisonous...poisonous woman!" Aunt Shen spat out the words through gritted teeth, "She...she is a descendant of the Lu family..."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Wanru's sneer deepened: "If I hadn't foreseen this, the entire Lu family would have perished tonight. You personally ruined Lu Sha's chances of survival."

She raised her hand, and Shi Ying immediately patted Aunt Shen's back lightly, instantly dispelling the excruciating pain.

“Speak,” Yuan Wanru’s voice suddenly turned cold, “or I’ll send you and your daughter on your way.”

She slowly rose, her skirt sweeping the ground. "Liang Yusong is dead, why would I care about a lowly concubine like you?"

These words struck like a thunderbolt, causing everyone present to change their expressions drastically.

Zhou Fang unconsciously swallowed, her eyes filled with fear as she looked at Yuan Wanru. Did she mean that Liang Yusong was killed by her?!

Everyone in the capital knows how humiliating Liang Yusong's death was.

Lu Bai staggered back two steps, barely managing to stand by holding onto the back of the chair. Looking at his once gentle niece-in-law, he felt terribly unfamiliar with her.

"If you don't want to talk, that's fine too. I'll count to three."

Yuan Wanru's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet flower hall, "One..."

Aunt Shen trembled and looked up at Yuan Wanru.

Those eyes were incredibly calm, so calm that there wasn't a ripple in them. Aunt Shen understood that this woman truly meant what she said.

"two……"

“I say!”

Aunt Shen finally broke down, screaming hoarsely, "I'll tell you everything!"

Yuan Wanru smiled slightly and sat back down in her chair: "If you had been so sensible earlier, why would you have suffered all this?"

She winked at Xuan Ying, "Bring me paper and pen. Have her write down everything she knows and sign it as proof."

Outside the window, a night breeze swept by, causing the candlelight to flicker and casting long shadows that swayed wildly on the wall, as if they too were terrified by tonight's interrogation.