“Secondary Consort, there’s definitely nothing wrong with the soup!”
“I swear on my family’s honor—I never left it from beginning to end!”
Zhenzhu was scared half to death and hurriedly began to swear an oath.
Secondary Consort Wei felt around and struggled to sit up.
She had not risen to the position of secondary consort through sheer foolishness. Everything that had happened today was highly suspicious.
The pain in her hands made her mind clearer than it had ever been.
“Zhenzhu, I’m not blaming you,” she said with difficulty.
The moment Secondary Consort Wei spoke, she felt a sharp pain in her mouth.
She gently touched her lips. They were injured too.
“Secondary Consort, do you mean the ingredients?” Zhenzhu ventured, then shook her head.
“Secondary Consort, those ingredients were taken from your storeroom. There’s absolutely no way there could be a problem with them!”
“I remember very clearly—they were part of your dowry.”
“Secondary Consort, could it be that you suspect...”
Zhenzhu stopped halfway and covered her mouth.
Secondary Consort Wei had not wanted to speak because her mouth hurt. But Zhenzhu had clearly misunderstood, so she had no choice but to explain. Besides, the room was so dark that one could not even see a hand in front of one’s face. If neither of them spoke, the silence would be unbearably frightening.
“Zhenzhu, think about it. Where did we hear about this soup?” Secondary Consort Wei prompted her.
At her words, Zhenzhu began to think.
Suddenly, she let out a cry.
“Ah! Secondary Consort, I remember now!”
Secondary Consort Wei clutched her chest, her face full of displeasure.
“Zhenzhu, don’t keep shrieking like that. You’re giving me a fright!”
Zhenzhu hurriedly apologized. “Please forgive me, Secondary Consort. I remember now.”
“It was that day. Two old maids said that His Highness liked drinking that soup the most...”
Zhenzhu stopped midway.
Although she could not see, Secondary Consort Wei’s mind was exceptionally clear.
“That’s right! If those two old maids hadn’t said that, how would I ever have thought of having you make this soup?”
Secondary Consort Wei tried hard to recall what the two old maids looked like.
“Zhenzhu, do you remember their faces?”
Zhenzhu thought for a moment, then shook her head helplessly.
“Secondary Consort, I wasn’t paying attention at the time.”
Secondary Consort Wei did not have the slightest impression of them either.
Back then, the two old maids had acted so secretively, but she had been too focused on thinking of ways to curry favor with Prince Ling to consider anything else.
Now that she thought about it, there had been flaws everywhere.
First of all, how would two low-ranking servant maids know what soup His Highness liked?
Secondly, why had the two of them happened to bring up such a private topic just as she was passing by?
Everyone knew that servants who discussed their masters behind their backs could be flogged and sold off if they were caught.
How bold had those two old maids been to knowingly break the rules?
She had truly been blinded by greed and fallen straight into their trap!
When Secondary Consort Wei recalled the look on Prince Ling’s face when he had seen the bowl of soup, she could not help shivering.
How could Prince Ling have liked drinking it?
He clearly loathed it!
In this residence, the only person who could understand Prince Ling so well and lay such a trap for her was none other than Princess Consort Ling!
Secondary Consort Wei quickly saw through the whole scheme.
“Secondary Consort, why would those two old maids say such a thing?” Zhenzhu still could not understand.
“It was Princess Consort Ling!” Secondary Consort Wei said through clenched teeth.
Zhenzhu was her trusted maid, so she naturally did not hide the truth from her.
“What?” Zhenzhu covered her mouth, her face filled with worry.
“Secondary Consort, Her Highness is trying to take your life!” Zhenzhu was frantic.
She belonged to Secondary Consort Wei. Only if her mistress was well could she live well too.
“Secondary Consort, if something happens to you, what will become of Young Master and Miss?”
Zhenzhu’s words caused a glimmer of hope to rise in Secondary Consort Wei’s eyes.
“You’re right. I have to find a way out!”
In the study, Prince Ling stared darkly at the steward kneeling on the floor.
“What did you say? When you arrived, there wasn’t a single body left?”
The steward hurriedly nodded.
“Your Highness, this old servant took the men there without stopping for even a moment.”
“But apart from the bloodstains on the ground, there was nothing else.”
“I didn’t dare delay, so I returned at once to report to you.”
Prince Ling’s eyes seemed ready to spit fire.
With the blood on his forehead, he looked like a maddened beast, terrifying to behold.
The steward did not dare meet his gaze and pressed himself flat against the floor.
Prince Ling was furious. This stifling feeling of frustration made him feel as though he had thrown a punch into cotton—powerless and unable to land a blow.
Suddenly, his fingers brushed against the arrow hidden in his sleeve.
“Go find out where this arrow came from.” Prince Ling pulled it from his sleeve.
The steward straightened and accepted it with both hands.
After examining it, he said, “Your Highness, this old servant will investigate immediately!”
The steward climbed to his feet and hurried away.
Prince Ling’s expression remained grim.
What had happened today had sounded a warning bell.
Traveling back and forth to the palace every day was too dangerous!
Now that he had taken the position of Crown Prince, the others would certainly be eager to drag him down.
He had originally intended to wait a little longer before making his move.
But now, it seemed there was no need to keep those people alive.
At most, once His Majesty’s birthday celebrations were over, the throne would be his for the taking.
At the thought, a vicious glint appeared in Prince Ling’s eyes.
Still, the child who cries gets the milk.
With that in mind, Prince Ling called toward the study door.
“Someone!”
An Imperial Guard pushed the door open and slipped inside.
“Go to the palace first thing tomorrow morning and request leave on my behalf.”
“Tell them that I encountered assassins on my way home today and was injured.”
“Yes.”
The next morning, before the sun had even risen, Duoduo was already out of bed.
“Lüdou, let’s go.”
After washing up, Duoduo called for Lüdou to leave.
When Duoduo arrived at the reception hall, she saw her father and mother drinking tea together.
“Daughter greets Father and Mother!” Duoduo said with a bright smile.
Xiao Yi looked up at her.
“Are you going out?” he asked, frowning slightly.
Duoduo found his reaction a little strange, but obediently explained, “Father, I made an appointment with Aunt Xu yesterday. We’re going to the shop today.”
“I want Aunt Xu to give me some advice, so we can try to open the shop within the next couple of days.”
“That’s right, Your Highness. I originally wanted to tell you yesterday,” Su Xian added.
“But you were busy the entire time, and I didn’t dare disturb you.”
“In a little while, I’ll go out with Duoduo. Don’t worry—we’ll be back very soon.”
Worried that Duoduo might be scolded by Xiao Yi, Su Xian spoke up for her.
Xiao Yi set down his teacup. “Have Yunxiao send a few more people with you.”
“Once you’ve seen the shop, come straight home. Don’t wander around outside.”
A look of surprise flashed through Duoduo’s eyes.
She had left the residence before, but this was the first time her father had given her such careful instructions.
“Father, did something happen?” Duoduo asked, looking at Xiao Yi.
Hearing her question, Su Xian also turned to look at Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi nodded slightly.
“Last night, the Crown Prince was attacked by assassins!”
