Shen Mingzhu was silent for a moment. Looking at Xie Fangfei, she asked, "Is it that cousin of the Zhou family?"
Xie Fangfei was slightly surprised upon hearing this. Nodding, she replied, "Yes, she is."
This was rather strange.
Shen Mingzhu's impression of that cousin of the Zhou family was only that she was Zhou Chengyu's cousin. Shen Mingzhu couldn't even remember her name.
Who was really behind this whole thing? It was like one scheme hidden within another. The mastermind was extremely cunning, taking advantage of others' jealousy or greed. Just thinking about it sent shivers down one's spine.
Shen Mingzhu frowned, and a hint of solemnity involuntarily appeared in her eyes.
"Your Highness," Xie Fangfei said with a pale face, continuing, "There's also a pharmacy. Someone once hinted to me that I could buy what I wanted there."
"So," Xie Lang looked at Xie Fangfei and suddenly sneered, "You did put the medicine in, and you were just a pawn?"
"Yes," Xie Fangfei nodded, looking a bit silent. She lowered her eyes and said, "I was really too stupid to be used like this."
Seeing the lifelessness in her eyes, Shen Mingzhu couldn't help but feel a bit solemn. After a slight hesitation, she continued, "What else do you remember?"
A look of pain flashed across Xie Fangfei's face. After a moment of thought, she continued, "I'm not very sure, but... but it seems that Mrs. Liu really knows something too."
"I'm such a fool," Xie Fangfei said in a heavy tone. More and more pain filled her eyes. Hugging her head and crying, she said, "Maybe they didn't choose me at first, but I was the only one who got used."
After a long silence, Xie Fangfei looked up at Shen Mingzhu. "Mrs. Liu knows too, but I don't know how much she was involved. It was only when I thought about it carefully that I realized something was wrong."
"I'm just a concubine's daughter. Given Mrs. Liu's nature of always making things difficult for me and my... my mother, it was surprisingly smooth for me to go out those few times. I even felt lucky. But now," Xie Fangfei just sneered coldly and continued sarcastically, "It seems that I was the easiest fool to use, so they set their sights on me."
Shen Mingzhu frowned after hearing this and continued, "That's not all."
"How could you, a person with no martial skills, successfully put the medicine in my place?" Shen Mingzhu said and then continued, "How did you manage to do it?"
After a moment of silence, Xie Fangfei's heart sank to the bottom. Only then did she realize how complicated this matter was. It was like layers upon layers, one link after another, all designed to trap Shen Mingzhu.
She was just the most insignificant pawn in it.
Xie Fangfei hardly knew how to describe her feelings at this moment. It was as if an ant had suddenly caught a glimpse of the far - off world, where even a speck of dust was more important than herself.
And because of her own stupidity and greed, she had wasted her mother's life in vain.
Xie Fangfei hung her head in despair. Her palms were already full of blood. After a long time, she looked up at Shen Mingzhu and said, "Your Highness, will I have a chance to take revenge with my own hands?"
Seeing the pain in her eyes, Shen Mingzhu only said, "You should rest first. Calm down and then we'll continue."
With that, Shen Mingzhu turned around and left.
Xie Lang stood there and glanced at Xie Fangfei. Finally, he sighed.
"You know everything. You're the only sober one in the whole Xie Mansion, right?" Xie Fangfei had never called Xie Lang elder brother before. Now, looking at him helplessly, the two words got stuck in her throat and turned into a sob.
"Xie Fangfei, I've never liked to argue with fools. Now that the Highness has forgiven you, I won't say anything more. I'll let bygones be bygones and won't hold it against you anymore."
After saying that, he turned around and quickly tried to catch up with Shen Mingzhu.
"Brother... Xie Lang!"
Xie Fangfei suddenly looked up at him and asked, "Have you been pretending all along? Are we all just jokes to you while you're the only sober one in the whole Xie Mansion?"
Xie Fangfei didn't know why she was so eager to find this answer. But when she saw Xie Lang's meaningless glance at her, she felt that her entire previous life had been a joke.
"Does it still matter?" Xie Lang glanced at her, curled his lips and said, "Xie Fangfei, look at the road ahead of you."
Xie Fangfei trembled all over. Looking at Xie Lang's departing back, her face covered with tears, she let out a heart - rending wail.
...
Shen Mingzhu was waiting for Xie Lang at the door. When she saw him coming, she couldn't help but say, "I knew you must have something to say to Xie Fangfei."
Xie Lang smiled, took a few steps closer, and walked side by side with Shen Mingzhu. Then he asked, "Then Your Highness, guess what I said to Xie Fangfei?"
Shen Mingzhu gave him a sidelong glance with a hint of smile in her eyes. "I'm not going to guess such meaningless things."
"Meaningless?"
Xie Lang was silent for a moment. Suddenly remembering something that made him unhappy, he retorted, "Then what is a meaningful thing to Your Highness?"
Shen Mingzhu pushed the door open, and Xie Lang followed her in. Seeing her silently pouring a cup of tea, he felt even more uncomfortable.
So when he saw Shen Mingzhu about to drink the tea, Xie Lang stepped forward and took the cup into his own hands. Raising his eyebrows, he looked at Shen Mingzhu.
[What is a meaningful thing? Tut]
[No! I must find out where those men went tomorrow!]
Shen Mingzhu: ...
How childish Xie Lang was!
Thinking this, she reached out to grab the cup, but unexpectedly, Xie Lang drank the tea in one gulp first. Then he looked at Shen Mingzhu and said, "Not bad, not bad. The tea poured by Your Highness is really a bit more fragrant than others'."
Shen Mingzhu was almost laughed at by Xie Lang's childishness. She said, "Do you want me to pour you another cup?"
As she spoke, Xie Lang quickly poured a cup and said, "Drink. I'll pour a cup for Your Highness too."
With that, he brought the tea to Shen Mingzhu's lips.
"You..."
Shen Mingzhu tightly closed her mouth.
This was the cup that Xie Lang had drunk from! Had he forgotten?
Her hand accidentally touched her lips.
[What? Shen Mingzhu dislikes me again!]
After a moment of hesitation, Shen Mingzhu still opened her mouth under Xie Lang's fixed gaze.
...
In the front hall.
General Xie looked at the woman kneeling in front of him and couldn't believe his eyes. His heart was filled with shock.
What on earth was Mrs. Liu doing? For so many years, he had always thought she was virtuous, but he never expected that she would secretly slander his son!
"Mrs. Liu! Do you know what you're doing?" General Xie felt heart - broken. Looking at Mrs. Liu sternly, he said, "You..."
"General," Mrs. Liu looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Please forgive me this time."
"I've served you for so many years. Even if I don't have any great achievements, I've at least worked hard!" Mrs. Liu said, crying sadly. She continued, "I've learned my lesson this time. And look, my son has also been implicated."
"Please, General. Give me one more chance," Mrs. Liu said, kowtowing repeatedly on the ground.
None of the servants present dared to stop her. Everyone watched as the usually high - and - mighty Mrs. Liu was now kowtowing humbly, not daring to relax at all.
General Xie was silent, with a gloomy look in his eyes.