Chapter 22 - You Wanted to Be Biased, But I Don’t Agree!

Shen Ninghua’s eyebrows moved slightly. She looked down at Wan Xiang whose eyes were closed with blood running down from the corner of her lips. The girl had killed herself by biting her tongue.

Nurse Qin’s words were clearly warning Wan Xiang. The first lady must have her family under control, leaving her no other choice but to commit suicide to protect her family. This girl was actually both affectionate and faithful. It was a pity that she died.

The death of Wan Xiang made it impossible to either verify or refute Nurse Qin’s words. This meant that whatever the first lady said would be undisputed. What an awesome plan!

“This girl took things too hard. If she wanted to marry Liang Yu, she could simply beg my mother. My mother has always been the most kind-hearted person. How could she say no? She died for nothing.”

Madam Su sneered. She went up, held Shen Ninghua by the hand and retreated by two steps. “You are just too kind-hearted. She has wronged you, and now you are pitying her. But what you said is pretty reasonable. It’s obvious that she didn’t need to die, yet she chose to. That is quite odd.”

The first lady was now quite relieved. Wan Xiang’s death gave credit to Nurse Qin’s words, and made the situation quite easy to handle for her. Therefore, she didn’t care about Madam Su’s insinuations. “I didn’t expect that this girl planned the whole thing. I’m so sorry for my poor management. Master, please punish me.”

Shen Dong nodded and turned to Baili Jinze and other guests. “Your Highness and gentlemen, I am sorry to bother you with today’s event. I will go to your place to apologize some other day.”

Baili Jinze said with gentleness, “You are welcome, master Shen. I will come to visit you some other day.”

After that, he went out.

Chen Yun walked out with him. Glancing at people of Shen family, he suddenly stopped and said to Shen Ninghua, “The prescription of your wine is very precious. If you still had some wine left, would you mind giving me some?”

Shen Ninghua smiled. “Doctor Chen, if you like it, I will send some to your place later.”

Chen Yun stroked his beard and nodded. He then looked coldly at Doctor Qi. “Miss Shen has won the bet, so there will be no doctor specially serving the Shen family. Well, I happen to know a doctor named Zhang Nian. He is interested in neither fame nor wealth and is therefore unwilling to be an imperial doctor. But he has fantastic medical skills. If you ever need a doctor in the future, you can send for him.”

Qi Zhengjun had been the doctor for the Shen family for many years, and had been bribed by the first lady. In Shen Ninghua’s previous life, her wounded ankle was extremely painful on rainy days, so the first lady asked Doctor Qi to treat her. Fortunately, her maid was clever and found that the medicine was wrong. Otherwise, her feet would be completely ruined.

In the beginning, she was also told that the first lady was malicious and might not treat her with sincerity.

But at that time, she was not favored by Shen Dong, and her grandmother Lady Xiao turned a blind eye to her, so she had to rely on Madam Zhao.

Chen Yun’s moral character ensured that even if it’s not guaranteed that the person he recommended worked for her, he would not be easily bribed by the first lady. In this case, there would be much less hindrance to her plans in the future.

Shen Ninghua courtesied Chen Yun. “Doctor Chen, thank you very much. But it’s up to my father to decide.”

Chen Yun nodded secretly in his heart. Her decent behavior really fit in with her noble identity. In that case, he would like to do her another favor. “Master Shen, what do you think?”

How could Shen Dong say no? He had become suspicious after seeing Doctor Qi’s performance. Now that Chen Yun recommended Zhang Nian to him, a link was set up between him and Doctor Chen. He was more than happy to see that happen. “Thank you very much, Doctor Chen.”

“You are welcome.” Chen Yun disdainfully glanced at Qi Zhengjun, who looked ghastly pale. “Doctor Qi, there are many materials that can turn silver needles black. You had better not use your silver needles anymore, so as not to put other people’s lives at stake.” Then he swung his sleeves and went straight out.

Chu Junyi stealthily glanced at Shen Ninghua and Madam Zhao before leaving. He felt amused. Today, clearly someone had fallen into her own trap. Madam Zhao had planned to frame up Shen Ninghua, but Shen Ninghua used her plan to checkmate. He was really wondering how Shen Ninghua removed the arsenic from the wine. It seemed that she had many secrets. But there was no need to worry. He had plenty of opportunities to make enquires to her in the future. He still remembered her trick of having him soak his arm with vinegar!

As soon as the guests left, Shen Dong waved his hand and ordered the servants around him to withdraw. Then he turned around and be seated. He slammed a teacup to the ground, and his eyesight swept across Madam Zhao, Shen Linghan and Shen Ninghua like a steel blade that was scraping bones. He then said fiercely, “Only when the Shen family is safe can you be safe. If there is something wrong with family, no one can escape! My wife, you have been in charge of the affairs in the backyard. Do you have an explanation for today’s incidents?”

Madam Zhao suddenly raised her head. When her eyes met with Shen Dong’s eyes, her heart sank. She didn’t expect that Shen Dong would still look into this case. Today, she underestimated Shen Ninghua and totally lost the game. “Master, it’s all because I didn’t foresee the possible danger. I almost made a big mistake and wronged Ninghua.”

“Father,” Shen Linghan said softly, and her eyes were filled with tears. She went to Shen Dong and knelt down. “Please don’t punish my mother. It’s because I personally decided to use sister’s wine to entertain the guests. This provided an opportunity that was used by the despicable maid Wan Xiang. Please punish me.”

The first lady quickly lowered her head and wept. Her face was full of sadness.

Shen Dong frowned and then smoothed his knitted brows. In the end, he slowly calmed down. “Well, today’s matter…”

“Ah, miss, what’s wrong with you?” Bai Ruo interrupted Shen Dong with an exclamation.

Shen Ninghua was covering her neck with her hands, and her expression indicated that she was suffering some pain. “I’m fine.”

“You are not fine at all. Your neck and arms are all covered with red rashes!” Bai Ruo quickly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Shen Dong. “Master, madam, please quickly find her a doctor.”

Shen Dong was shocked to see the condition of Shen Ninghua. Her neck and wrists were covered with red rashes. Her fair complexion made the rashes look particularly obvious. “What happened?”

“I might accidentally touch something unclean. I am sorry to make you worried, father. It’s OK.”

The interruption made Shen Linghan very angry. Her father was just going to forgive her, but this Shen Ninghua made another trouble. Why were the rashes not on her face? It would be great if her face was ruined!

Qing Que came up to support Shen Ninghua. “Miss, although you haven’t completely recovered, you wouldn’t easily get sick. Ah, why is this dress loosing color?”

Shen Ninghua frowned and said angrily, “Don’t talk nonsense. Mother carefully prepared this dress for me. How can it loose color?”

“Miss, I’m not talking nonsense. Your neck has been dyed. That’s why you are having rashes.”

“No more nonsense!”

Qing Que quickly knelt on the ground. She dared not speak more, but still looked angry.

“Father, I’d better go back and change my clothes first.” Shen Ninghua bit her lips and whispered.

Shen Dong looked at the first lady coldly and seemed very dissatisfied. Although he didn’t like Shen Ninghua, she was still his flesh and blood. What’s more, with her good appearance, Shen Ninghua must be of great use in the future. Madam Zhao was too blatant!

Madam Zhao’s expression changed. “Master, I asked people to prepare this dress for Ninghua, but I also told them to use the best fabric. Nurse Qin, go and see what happened to Ninghua’s dress.”

Normally, Shen Dong would not doubt Madam Zhao so easily. However, after a turbulent day, suspicion had taken root in his heart, and he was convinced that Madam Zhao did not want to live in peace with Shen Ninghua.

The moment Nurse Qin stopped in front of Shen Ninghua, old lady Xiao came in with her maids and nurses.

“What else do you want to see? Zhao Yunxiang, do you want to bring the whole Shen family into humiliation? Now you can’t tolerate even a daughter. In the future, are you going to drive me, an old woman, out of the Shen family?”

The first lady flopped on her knees and cried out in pain. “Mother, you’ve wronged me. I don’t know how I can live with this accusation.”

Old Lady Xiao pounded the ground with the crutch in her hand. Her eyes were full of disgust. “Hum, wronged you? How can I wrong you? The dress Ninghua is wearing was soaked with poisonous oleander juice. You want her dead! And the girl who died in my yard, do you dare to say it has nothing to do with you? ”

Madam Zhao was in a daze. She did have the girl poisoned, but she never did anything to Shen Ninghua’s dress!

“Master, although Ninghua was not born by me, I have never treated her unfairly. Besides, she has just come back, how could I hurt her? Master, please observe with your keen eyes.”

Old lady Xiao took Shen Ninghua by the hand. She frowned at the sight of the rashes on her neck. “Never treated her unfairly? Then why is Ninghua, the first daughter of the Shen family, living in Tranquility Courtyard? Zhao Ruyun is your niece and she only occasionally comes to stay for a few days. Yet you reserve the much better Luomei Courtyard for her. Then why does Ninghua have to live next to servants? What kind of a mother are you?”

If it weren’t for the incidents today, letting Shen Ninghua live in Tranquility Courtyard was not a big deal. However, after today’s events, Madam Zhao was clearly abusing the first daughter!

Shen Ninghua was having tears all over her face. She stood by old lady Xiao and her fingers tightly clung to old lady Xiao’s sleeves. She behaved like she had no one to rely on, which made her more pitiful and helpless.

Madam Zhao knelt on the ground with sweat on her forehead. “Yes, I am not a good mother. Master, I have been married with you for more than ten years. I dare not relax any moment, for fear that people say I cannot compare with my deceased sister. Actually, I had meticulously prepared the Yingyue Courtyard for Ninghua. However, there were still people gossiping that I abused Ninghua. I was so angry that I let Ninghua live in Tranquility Courtyard temporarily. I had planned to move her to another yard later…but….”

Shen Ninghua coldly sneered in her heart. Madam Zhao was so shameless and dared to use her deceased mother as an excuse!

Madam Su obviously didn’t buy the first lady’s story. She held old lady Xiao’s arm and said, “Sister-in-law, you did the wrong thing. All the servants in the backyard are under your charge. If anyone dared to gossip, you could directly drive them out of the mansion. Why did you vent your anger on Ninghua? The poor kid has just recovered. If something was wrong with her health again, do you have the face to make an explanation to her deceased mother?”

Old lady Xiao nodded in anger. She turned her head to Shen Dong with rage in her eyes. “That’s right, the daughters of our Shen family must not be abused at will. Son, what do you say?”

Shen Ninghua also looked up at Shen Dong. The tears in her eyes flickered, but her heart was clear and cool. She had arranged for the old lady Xiao to show up at this moment.

Shen Dong had always had a biased attitude, with prejudice against Shen Ninghua and preference for Shen Linghan, her most favored daughter. Therefore, she deliberately planned to force Shen Dong to announce his stand in public. He wanted to be biased, but she didn’t agree!