Chapter 311 Destiny
Even though Xiaran was one of the most competent maids Qiu Yelan had, she didn’t do this job well.
It was not all her fault. She did manage to intrigue Chu Chunxiao. She was about to visit and ask for advice with Xiaran on the same day. But she was stopped by Princess Qiyang before leaving, “Marquess’s Mansion is quite busy these days. I heard that Qiu Yelan is not very free. How can Chunxiao bother her at such a time? She can wait till Qiu Yelan is less busy!”
Xiaran came back and wasn’t sure how she should feel. She told Qiu Yelan everything and said in the end, “Princess Qiyang is really grateful that young master helped with County Princess Duanrou’s marriage. She said a lot of words of thanks. I think the reason why she stopped County Princess was that she really didn’t want her to bring you any more trouble!”
After all, the whole Marquess’s Mansion was currently busy. If Chu Chunxiao came and slowed the process, Qiu Yelan would perhaps be blamed.
The problem was…
Qiu Yelan smiled bitterly and shook her head, “That’s destiny!”
She originally wanted to have Chu Chunxiao pa.s.s the word and confirm with Empress Dowager Ye so that she could see if there would be any way to solve this problem without alerting the Jiang Family. So she wouldn’t hurt the bloodline of Chu Chunxiao.
But the goodwill of Princess Qiyang blocked the only way of communication between Qiu Yelan and Empress Dowager Ye.
She couldn’t postpone this for a long time and she also didn’t know whether Empress Dowager Ye had other backup plans. Anyway, since Chu Chunxiao couldn’t come these days, Qiu Yelan could only tell her husband.
After having some quality time that night, Qiu Yelan again led the topic to the poisoning of the Emperor, “I once heard something. I don’t know whether it’s true or not.”
In the past couple of days, she kept bringing this thing up. Jiang Yashuang was already wondering. Now seeing that she finally decided to talk, he paid extra attention. But he pretended to be careless and asked, “What’s that?”
“Eggs.” Qiu Yelan said deeply, “Sometimes if you eat the raw eggs, it can save your life!”
Jiang Yashuang immediately remembered that basket of eggs Empress Dowager Ye asked for. Up until this point, they had exhausted every resource to investigate. Even the ancestors of a servant that was remotely related were checked from head to toe. But they still hadn’t found anything! Even though Xue Chang had an agreement with the two Empresses that they would pick a killer before the Lantern Festival and then continue to check secretly. But Marquess Qin thought that if they couldn’t find it now on the board, they wouldn’t be able to find it later in secret.
Now what Qiu Yelan was saying seemed to be pointing at something. He felt respectful, “How to save someone?”
“First eat some raw eggs and then take the poison. Most of the poisons won’t be able to kill people this way.” Qiu Yelan pursed her lips, “Of course, the interval can’t be too long. Otherwise, it’s still useless.”
“Empress Dowager Ye?” Jiang Yashuang was startled. He murmured, “Prime Minister Xue’s suspicion was right…” He looked at his wife, “Who told you this?”
Qiu Yelan was speechless, “I didn’t go out these days. Do you think when the family members learned something like this, they would choose to tell me or you?”
“Then…?”
“I said I heard it somewhere before!” Qiu Yelan frowned. Jiang Yashuang still looked dubious after hearing that. Qiu Yelan thought for a while and realized, “Using protein to absorb the toxin is just common knowledge in my previous life. But now, no one knows it. Even those government officials who are quite erudite don’t know it. Yet I just mentioned it so casually. No wonder Jiang Yashuang thought someone told me.”
But it was not hard to find a reasonable excuse! She rolled her eyes and quickly went into a missing mode. She said sentimentally, “My mother used to worry that Lu and my uncle would hurt me. So she had the rule that everything I eat needs to be tested by other people or herself. Even so, my mother was still worried. She constantly sought things or ways to detox. Just to be careful! And then…”
Jiang Yashuang was indeed moved. He reached out and held her tightly in his arms. His chin was rubbing the top of her head. He said with a hoa.r.s.e voice, “I’m sorry!”
He paused for a while and comforted her gently, “Don’t be sad. Your mother would have wished you to be happy and healthy…”
Qiu Yelan took the chance and asked, “This is just my speculation. Empress Dowager Ye is not necessarily relevant! Even if she is, she’s targeting the Emperor. She doesn’t have any intention to hurt Empress Jiang. Empress Dowager Ye and Prince Qiyang’s Mansion are just too pitiful…”
“Rest a.s.sured. I will try to persuade grandfather and my aunt!” Jiang Yashuang comforted Qiu Yelan softly. But she couldn’t see that when he was saying that, despite gently stroking her hair, his eyes went cold. He didn’t have the same opinion as Qiu Yelan did on this matter.
Qiu Yelan thought Empress Dowager Ye and her bloodline were too pitiful. It was understandable that they did something in a rage.
But Jiang Yashuang was looking at this matter from the Jiang Family’s position. He could understand it, but he couldn’t pity them.
After all, Empress Dowager Ye’s tragedy originated from her failure to Empress Dowager Gu. Even though the Jiang Family helped Empress Dowager Gu and her son to secure their position, they didn’t directly plot against Empress Dowager Ye. Therefore, she couldn’t blame her for falling on the Jiang Family.
Empress Dowager Ye did help Empress Jiang to see through Empress Dowager Gu’s scheme and helped Empress Jiang to give birth to Princess Yongfu. But in these years, the Jiang Family had protected Empress Dowager Ye and looked after Prince Qiyang. They were even!
Of course, as for Chu Chunxiao’s marriage, the Jiang Family owed Prince Qiyang and Empress Dowager Ye.
But Empress Dowager Ye’s fightback had exceeded the tolerance of Jiang Yashuang. Empress Dowager Ye didn’t kill Empress Jiang, but who was the person she targeted? The Emperor!
She could survive till this day. Who was the person she relied on? The Jiang Family!
Once she failed, how could a powerless Empress Dowager take the charge of killing the Emperor? Empress Dowager Gu just needed to simply say, “Ye has been avoiding the world for a long time. How could she reach my son?” Just this simple sentence could drag Empress Jiang and the whole Jiang Family down!
Luckily, it was Qiu Yelan, one of the Jiang Family, who learned that it could detox the poison after eating the raw eggs! If it were anyone else, even if it were another from the Empress’ party, it would be a ticking bomb!
Jiang Yashuang was having a strong killing intent, “We can no longer save Empress Dowager Ye! She has been hiding in Ganli Palace for thirty years. Yet she could still place a Men of Sacrifice besides the Emperor. And she has such a stealthy move… This time, the Emperor was lucky and avoided this. What about next time? Besides, if she really did it and she didn’t die, when Empress Dowager Gu knows it, how can the Jiang Family clear our name?”
Jiang Yashuang knew the cruelty of the fight in the government. The Dou Family was an example!
He was willing to compromise and help others when it came to private things. For example, for Chu Chunxiao’s marriage, he knew it would irritate Empress Jiang, but he kept persuading.
But when it came to business, especially the things that might threaten the existence of the Jiang Family, he could be crueler than anyone!
At this moment, he kept comforting his wife gently, but he already made the decision in his heart, “Lanlan is young and she’s a girl. She can’t help to pity. I’ll keep this a secret from her. At best, I’ll help to save the third sister and Chunxiao! Of course, as long as they’re irrelevant to this!”
The only reason why this whole investigation was stuck was that the servant who tried the drink for the Emperor was fine, but the Emperor was poisoned immediately after drinking it.
Now with the secret recipe Qiu Yelan provided and the power of the Jiang Family, it was not hard to use some inmates on death roll or Men of Sacrifice to test it.
When they found out Qiu Yelan was not lying, Marquess Qin and Jiang Tianao were all relieved.
Jiang Tianqi couldn’t see his cousin getting all the prizes. He then said tepidly, “Now we can confirm Empress Dowager Ye poisoned the Emperor. It was for the County Princess Duanrou’s marriage. She was angry about it… But how can we tell others this result? It’s still hard to end this case!”
Marquess Qin looked at him, “Who said so?”
“Father?” Jiang Tianqi stared at Jiang Tianao and said in low spirits, “I’m stupid. Could you please tell me?”
“Let’s tell Xue Chang this secretly. Afterward, it’s not our business. No matter what he says, you just agree with him!” Marquess Qin said carelessly, “And say that Qiu Yelan heard Madame Zhuang Junior mentioning that Empress Dowager Ye asked for two extra baskets of eggs. Then she remembered it. She had a tough life. When she was in Prince’s Mansion of Xihe, she was plotted against multiple times. Princess Ruan also died of posion. That was why she learned this… Both of them made contributions. I’ll get Madame Tao to look into this. As for Madame Zhuang Junior…”
Jiang Tianao said hurriedly, “I’ll talk to Madame Dou. Even though she’s sick now, she has the strength to tell the servants.”
He knew that Marquess Qin didn’t care about the business in the backyards. He mentioned the two granddaughters-in-law, actually meaning to say about the two grandsons. He then guaranteed, “Hong is an obedient kid. I’ll teach him well and won’t waste him!”
“That’s good then!” Marquess Qin nodded. He actually never asked much about these grand-nephews. He was actually warning Jiang Tianao by mentioning Madame Zhuang Junior. From this, they could see that Madame Zhuang Junior was close to Qiu Yelan. Otherwise, what Jiang Yahong told Madame Zhuang Junior in private wouldn’t get to Qiu Yelan. If he really wanted to get into the army, it might be worthwhile to have Jiang Yayi try going through the backyards. After all, the fourth branch didn’t have many people. Jiang Yashuang would need some help nevertheless!
But the rules in the Jiang Family were that there was a difference between legitimate and illegitimate sons. The two legitimate sons of Jiang Tianao were all outstanding. Jiang Yahong, as an illegitimate son, had abilities, but he couldn’t trump the other legitimate sons. With Madame Dou making trouble in between, Jiang Tianao was not close to him.
“I need to be nicer to this little son when I go back!” Jiang Tianao thought in his mind.
When Jiang Tianqi went back, he called Madame He in and shouted at her for allowing the first branch to win the fourth branch over in the third branch! “What were you doing as the lady of the house?! Did you know how to be in charge?! You behaved so differently when you were a daughter-in-law!”
How useless!!!