Granny Ni turned back with a confused look on her face.
"Princess Consort, should these flowers be uprooted or not?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang raised her hand. "Wait a moment. Let me think."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang remembered that these flowers had been planted before they returned.
If she used this matter to confront the steward, he could just make the excuse that they were already there from before.
They had been back and living here for two years, which meant they had been living with poisonous substances for two years.
Just the thought of this made the Princess Consort of Pingyang feel as if the blood in her veins had frozen.
"Come here. Listen to me, this is what you are going to do..."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang beckoned Granny Ni over and whispered a few instructions to her.
Granny Ni nodded and quickly walked out.
Lianxin watched Granny Ni's retreating back, her face full of bewilderment.
"Princess Consort, since those flowers are poisonous, you should just order the servants to uproot them."
"Why must you keep them, and instead have Granny Ni go around spreading the word that they are poisonous?"
"If the Prince finds out, won't he think you are lax in managing the household?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang turned her head and glanced at Lianxin.
If she weren't her own dowry maid, the Princess Consort of Pingyang would have thought that Lianxin was in cahoots with the steward.
However, this also indirectly showed that the people around her had all accepted the steward's narrative.
It was enough to show just how much influence the steward had over the people in the manor.
"Lianxin, why do you think there are poisonous flowers in our manor?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang did not directly reprimand her, but instead asked a different question.
Lianxin lowered her head and thought for a moment.
"It must be that the previous gardener didn't know... he was careless..."
Didn't know?
As a gardener, it was impossible for him not to know which flowers were poisonous and which were harmful to people.
Careless?
A momentary carelessness? It had been two years. He definitely would have noticed it by now and should have uprooted them long ago.
Lianxin's face turned pale.
"Princess Consort, do you mean the gardener did this on purpose?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang picked up her teacup and carefully brushed aside the tea leaves floating on top.
"Then why do you think the gardener would do it on purpose?"
"How much nerve would he need to do this intentionally? Wouldn't he be afraid of losing his head once the masters found out?"
The more Lianxin thought about it, the more terrified she became.
"Princess Consort, there must be someone behind the gardener instructing him to do this!"
"Who exactly is it? To actually want to harm the Prince and you, Princess Consort!"
"If he isn't afraid of being discovered, there must be someone in the manor helping him!"
"Someone helping him? The person helping him must be able to conceal it from the masters, which means that person can only be..."
As Lianxin realized this, her face turned ghastly pale.
"Princess Consort, is that person... the steward?"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang set down her teacup, making a crisp clinking sound.
"That's right. Your analysis is spot on."
Lianxin looked anxious.
"Princess Consort, you must tell the Prince immediately and have him arrest the steward!"
"He wants to harm you and the Prince; we absolutely cannot let him get away!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang raised her hand, gesturing for Lianxin to calm down.
"Lianxin, think about it a bit more."
"He is just a steward. What possible benefit could he gain by going to such lengths to harm me and the Prince?"
Pale-faced, Lianxin followed the Princess Consort of Pingyang's line of reasoning.
Servants like them lived by relying on their masters.
Only when the masters fared well could they have good lives.
What kind of servant would want their master dead?
Unless...
Unless the steward was an assassin sent by wicked people!
At this thought, Lianxin's lips trembled, and her whole body shook.
She grabbed the Princess Consort of Pingyang's hands.
"Princess Consort, you and the Prince must flee! Flee to a place where no one knows you."
Looking at the teary-eyed Lianxin, the Princess Consort of Pingyang felt a warmth in her heart.
She raised her hand and gently patted the back of Lianxin's hand.
"You and Baihe grew up with me since childhood. Although we are master and servant, I actually treat you as my own younger sisters."
"The reason I'm telling you about this today is to let you know that the situation the Prince and I are in is not peaceful."
"The Emperor's birthday is fast approaching."
"Today, the Prince said that in half a month, we will set off to return to the capital."
"You and Baihe are getting older. Taking advantage of this trip back to the capital, I will return your indentured servant contracts to you."
"When the time comes, I will also give each of you a dowry."
"You can go back, find good husbands in peace, marry, and have children."
Lianxin couldn't understand how the conversation had suddenly shifted from the steward to marriage and children.
With a thud, she dropped to her knees before the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"This servant will never leave the Princess Consort! Don't even think about driving this servant away!"
Just then, Baihe walked in carrying several bolts of brightly colored fabric.
She found it a bit strange to see Lianxin kneeling on the floor.
She placed the fabric on a nearby table, walked over, and knelt down beside Lianxin.
"Princess Consort, if Lianxin did something wrong, you can beat her or punish her, but please don't drive her away!"
Lianxin looked at Baihe with a sorrowful face.
"Baihe, the Princess Consort wants to give us our contracts and tell us to go home and get married!"
Upon hearing this, Baihe immediately looked at the Princess Consort of Pingyang in panic.
"Princess Consort, did the two of us do something wrong?"
"Princess Consort, this servant knows I sometimes handle things poorly and speak without thinking."
"This servant will change! You can beat me if you want, but I beg you, please don't send us away!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked helpless.
"I am not driving you away. I just feel that you two are no longer young."
"You've reached the age to marry. If you don't marry, could it be that you want to be the Prince's concubines?"
Thump, thump, thump!
Terrified, Lianxin and Baihe heavily kowtowed three times to the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
"This servant would never dare to have such thoughts! Princess Consort, this servant can die to prove my innocence!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang rubbed her forehead.
"I was joking with you! Enough now, I only suggested you get married; I didn't expect you to react so strongly!"
Lianxin and Baihe exchanged a glance.
They said in unison, "Princess Consort, we won't marry! We will serve you for the rest of our lives!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang held her forehead and waved her hand helplessly.
"Alright, we will talk about this later. You may leave now, I want to rest for a while!"
"Yes."
Lianxin and Baihe kowtowed again, carefully stood up, and withdrew from the room.
As soon as they stepped out the door, Baihe impatiently pulled Lianxin aside and asked.
"Why did the Princess Consort suddenly bring up the matter of us getting married?"
Lianxin opened her mouth, just about to tell Baihe what had happened earlier.
But she suddenly remembered Baihe's temperament and shut her mouth.
"The Princess Consort said the Emperor's birthday is approaching, and the Prince wants to set off for the capital in half a month."
"Then, the Princess Consort said she would give us our contracts and let us go home to marry."
Baihe looked at Lianxin suspiciously.
"Just like that? Nothing else?"
"Just like that. You also know what my family situation is like."
"They would never genuinely choose a good husband for me. They would definitely just sell me again for money."
"Since that's the case, I might as well stay by the Princess Consort's side and serve her for a lifetime."
Thinking of Lianxin's background, Baihe's suspicions vanished.
"Actually, my family wrote to me saying they found a marriage prospect for me and asked me to go back and take a look when I have time."
"I refused."
