Chapter 16 - Unlock As You Wish

Chu Junyi perceived Shen Ninghua’s sight. He curled his lips at her when nobody was looking and tapped the folding fan in his palm.

Shen Ninghua held back her sight. Instead of wondering why Chu Junyi would suddenly help her, she thought quickly trying to figure out the first lady’s plan.

This batch of wine was specially brewed by her as gifts, and nothing was added to it.

But just when the first lady and Shen Linghan took out the wine, it suddenly became poisonous. And a maid’s death happened to be the evidence. Apart from that maid, no one was poisoned. How calculating this step-by-step plan was! Besides, Shen Linghan had said those words to make time for the first lady to expose the poisoned wine.

Murdering the emperor’s son was a capital crime. Even he had doubts in his heart, Shen Dong would follow his personality to make her the scapegoat and take all the blame. After all, she had been away from home for more than half a year. Who knew what kind of resentment was in her heart? As long as the Shen family was intact, sacrificing one or two daughters was a small price to pay.

The person who went to invite doctor Chen hadn’t come back, but the first lady had arrived with a group of maids and nurses.

The first lady looked a little flustered. When she saw Shen Dong, she seemed to find someone to reply on and let out a sigh of relief. She courtesied the Fifth Prince and other guests and then hurriedly said, “Master, go and have a look. I don’t know why, but several crows are hovering in the air west of the gate of the mansion and crying towards the yard. No matter what we do, we can’t drive them away. The old lady was also frightened and is now lying in bed to have a rest.”

Shen Linghan seemed to be afraid too. She whispered, “Everything used to be fine. Why are there so many incidents all of a sudden?”

Shen Ninghua raised her eyes. Ha ha, so many incidents occurred all of a sudden? So they must think it was her fault.

Crows were regarded as ominous birds in the Da’an Dynasty. They were driven away by people every time people saw them. Now they were hovering around the mansion of Shen. Wasn’t it an extremely unlucky sign?

Liang Yu, who had been kneeling aside, suddenly cried out, “Mother, you died miserably. Master, isn’t Tranquility Courtyard in the west? My poor mother must have been tortured to death. Those crows are announcing her death. I’m so unfilial, mother…”

Liang Yu’s voice was sharp and harsh, and he cried like a shameless scoundrel.

Shen Dong’s face was as dark as the sky before the storm. He gritted his teeth and veins stood out on his forehead. “Your Highness, I will deal with everything one by one. Since doctor Chen hasn’t arrived, I’ll first check Tranquility Courtyard.”

“Up to you, Prime Minister Shen.”

“Then if you will excuse me. Come, let’s go to Tranquility Courtyard!”

Shen Dong then cast a cold look at Shen Ninghua and walked out first.

When people were almost all gone, Shen Linghan slowly walked to Shen Ninghua. She put on a commanding air, looked at Shen Ninghua and said, “Elder sister, the threshold of Shen family is very high, and not everyone can come in. Before climbing up, it’s better to have your own weight measured, so as not to fall down and break into pieces.”

Shen Ninghua withdrew her sight to conceal the surging hatred in the bottom of her eyes. She stood up and looked at Shen Linghan with a smile.

Her long hair was like a black waterfall behind her, making her eyes look brighter. “Younger sister, since you know this rule, why don’t you look down at your feet? After all, you are the one standing in the clouds. Speaking of falling down, I can’t compare with you.”

“Well, you’re very articulate now, but it won’t help you.

Shen Ninghua, the Shen family needs only one first daughter! ”

Shen Linghan gritted her teeth, and her eyes shone with self-assurance.

Shen Ninghua chuckled. She flicked the dust on her dress, as if Shen Linghan’s words were not yet as important as the dust.

Then she turned around and walked out of the hall.

Shen Linghan was frustrated as if she had just punched into a pile of cotton. She wished she could slice Shen Ninghua into pieces with her eyes. After a while, she curled her lips and smiled with contempt. Shen Ninghua, let’s see how you would kneel and beg me for mercy later!

Above the west corner of the mansion, a few crows were hovering in the air, making terrible croaks.

Shen Ninghua looked up, paused for a second and then continued to walk towards the Tranquility Courtyard.

Outside the Tranquility Courtyard, a group of servants guarded the gate. Wan Xiang and two other servant girls arranged by Zhao Yunxiang to clean the yard knelt on the ground, their faces were pale and their bodies were trembling.

Seeing Shen Ninghua coming, Wan Xiang crawled forward two steps. She raised her hand, trying to grasp the hemline of Shen Ninghua’s dress, but Qing Que kicked her in the wrist.

“Ah…” The sharp pain almost made Wan Xiang faint, and cold sweat appeared on her forehead more quickly. If possible, she didn’t want to offend the first daughter of the Shen family, but her family were all under the control of the first lady, and she had to do so. “Miss, it’s all my fault. I was so careless to make people find out that you ordered Nurse Zhou to come here. I’m so sorry.”

Shen Ninghua looked down at Wan Xiang coldly. “I can’t afford a servant girl like you, who works for me but takes orders from someone else.”

Seeing Shen Ninghua’s eyes, Wan Xiang felt a tremor in her heart. Shen Ninghua seemed to know all her thoughts, which made her feel a stream of coldness rising from the bottom of her heart.

Hong Ling was standing behind Shen Ninghua. She hummed and curled her lips disdainfully. She hoped this girl wouldn’t regret later on.

Shen Dong stopped walking and nodded to Zhao Yunxiang.

Madam Zhao nodded, and told Nurse Qin, “Nurse Qin, take some people with you to search the yard.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nurse Qin nodded respectfully.

Zhao Yunxiang’s curled her lips unnoticeably; her eyes flashed with satisfaction. After all, Tranquility Courtyard was Shen Ninghua’s residence. However angry Shen Dong was, he would not let the guards or the young male servants search his daughter’s residence. Therefore, she had made an arrangement beforehand.

Hum, this time she would definitely take Shen Ninghua’s life. How could she allow Madam Xia’s cheap daughter to end up well!

Nurse Qin and some female servants quickly walked away. Shen Dong frowned and looked at Shen Ninghua. However, he found that her face was very calm without any sign of panic or anger.

He couldn’t help but recall another figure in his mind. That woman had the same character. Even at the last moment of her life, she had a light smile, just like life and death meant no difference to her.

It was a pity that this daughter was ill-fated. If she died today, he would make up to her with a decent funeral.

Nurse Qin came with several people carrying a big box. “In reply to Your Master and Ladyship, we found the box in the western side room.”

The box was square, about half a person high, and the lid was tightly fastened with a big lock the size of a palm.

When he saw the box, Shen Dong’s eyes shivered. He ferociously glared at Shen Ninghua, “Open it!”

“Father, inside this box are my personal items. Although they are not particularly valuable, they are used by young women. It’s better not to open the box.”

Shen Ninghua slightly frowned and looked a bit embarrassed.

The first lady looked at Shen Ninghua reproachfully, “Ninghua, what’s the point of refusal at such a time! Don’t make your father angry any more.

Master, it’s all my fault. My sister passed away early. I should have taught Ninghua, but… ”

“It’s not your fault. She has always been a wild girl.”

Shen Dong then said with a long face, “Shen Ninghua, open the lock now.”

Shen Ninghua sneered in her heart. After Zhao Yunxiang hinted that she was brought up without proper education, Shen Dong immediately said she was not a decent girl. The two of them were really a couple. “Father, I haven’t seen Nurse Zhou since she was driven out by grandmother. This box just contains some sundries. Don’t you believe me?”

Madam Zhao raised her head, “Ninghua, if you are innocent, your father will surely believe you. Now open the box.”

“Yes, sister, innocent people will prove their innocence, and so are the guilty ones. Although you have been away from home for a long time, we are still a family, and our father will surely treat you in a fair way.”

Shen Linghan stepped forward and held Shen Ninghua’s hand to stop her from blocking the guards who were going to unlock the box by force.

Shen Ninghua raised her dark eyes and looked straight into the eyes of Shen Linghan. “Sister, I said, there are just some sundries in that box!”

Shen Linghan sneered secretly. Sundries? That’s funny! This box was arranged by her mother, and it contained Nurse Zhou’s body, who was strangled to death. Hum!

Seeing that guards were about to break the lock, Shen Ninghua’s anxiety became more and more obvious. “Father, there is really nothing in this box.”

Meanwhile, Qing Que saw that guards were going to unlock the box by force, and she immediately came forward to kick them away. She then turned around and stood in front of the box, staring at those menacing guards with her sharp eyes.

The first lady frowned and winked at Liang Yu who was standing nearby.

Liang Yu immediately cried out, howling, “Miss, you killed my mother, and you even refuse to give me her body. God will punish you for doing so. Although my life is cheap, I know filial piety! Shen Ninghua, you are the daughter of the Shen family. I can’t revenge you for my mother and I have no face to live in the world. Mother, I am coming to join you. If God has eyes, he will give us justice!”

Seeing that Liang Yu was about to smash his head against the wall, Shen Dong became livid and hurriedly shouted, “Stop him!”

Baili Jinze and Chu Junyi were both here. If the Shen family had a scandal of hounding a servant to death, how could justify himself in the court?

Seeing that the guards stopped Liang Yu’s suicidal attempt, Shen Dong breathed a sigh of relief. He suddenly turned back and shout coldly, “Crack open the box. If that maid dares to intervene again, drive her out of the mansion with sticks!”

“Father, why won’t you believe me?”

Shen Ninghua stood straight in front of Shen Dong, and her eyes were full of sadness.

Shen Dong put on a chilly face and ignored Shen Ninghua.

Shen Linghan stepped forward. She held Shen Ninghua’s hand tightly to prevent her from stopping the guards again. “Sister, your innocence will be proved once the box is opened. Your intervention only makes you suspicious. People who don’t know what’s happening may really think you are guilty.”

The guards all rushed forward. Although Qing Que was very good at martial arts, she could not fight against so many people. While she was entangled by several guards, one guard ran to the box, lifted a stone and banged it on the copper lock twice.

The lock clattered to the ground.