Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Catch the Thief, Catch the Evidence As soon as Lingxin stepped out through the back door of the Third Prince’s Residence, Ling Jiaxuan blocked her path. The moment Lingxin saw him, she tried to run, but Ling Jiaxuan and his men had already sealed off the road. Ling Jiaxuan smiled at Lingxin. “Lingxin, instead of properly doing your work in the kitchen, what brings you to the Third Prince’s Residence? Could it be that your master is here?” Although Ling Jiaxuan spoke with a smile, his words sounded no less threatening to Lingxin. Still, she forced herself to remain calm. “Young Master Ling must be joking. I’m a servant of the Ling Residence. How could my master be at the Third Prince’s Residence?” “Well said. Since your master isn’t here, what did you come here for?” Ling Jiaxuan countered. “This…” Lingxin was momentarily at a loss for words. “If you can’t think of an answer, take your time. Men, bind her and bring her back to the Ling Residence.” Ling Jiaxuan no longer bothered wasting words on her. He ordered the men beside him to gag Lingxin and tie her up. Lingxin struggled, but with her strength, how could she possibly break free from all those strong young male servants of the Ling Residence? Before long, she had been dragged back. Lingxin still tried to turn around and call for help from the Third Prince’s Residence, hoping Ling Ziqi would hear her and come save her, but she was quickly taken away. At that moment, Ling Ziqi had just arrived at Mu Yuyang’s study and told him that Ling Taian had been poisoned and had fallen unconscious. Mu Yuyang was delighted and rewarded her with gold, silver, and jewelry. Ling Ziqi, however, coyly said, “Your Highness, I’ve been your Madam Ru for some time now. Don’t you think…” Mu Yuheng understood her meaning and replied, “Good girl, once Ling Taian and Ling Jiayue are both dead, I’ll promote you to a side consort. You must keep working hard.” Ling Ziqi happily said, “Thank you, Your Highness.” Ling Jiaxuan returned to the Ling Residence with Lingxin. At that time, Ling Jiayue, Madam Liu, Doctor Lin, General Luo, and the Seventh Prince, Mu Yuheng, were all in the reception hall. Ling Jiaxuan led Lingxin into the reception hall, where the young male servants forced her to kneel. Ling Jiayue smiled inwardly. This time, she had finally caught the minion Ling Ziqi had planted in the Ling Residence. She would definitely break that claw off! Mu Yuheng and General Luo were both shrewd men. Seeing Lingxin brought back just as Ling Taian had fallen unconscious, and seeing the imposing scene before them, they more or less understood what was going on. “Xuan’er, what is this?” Madam Liu asked. “Mother, I caught Lingxin outside the Third Prince’s Residence as she came out through the back door. Judging by the look of things, this wasn’t her first time going there, so I brought this servant back,” Ling Jiaxuan explained. At that moment, Lingxue also returned to Ling Jiayue’s side and whispered something in her ear. After hearing her, Ling Jiayue gave a slight nod and signaled to Lingxue with her eyes. Lingxue had been following Ling Jiayue for so long that she naturally understood a single glance from her. Ling Jiaxuan motioned for the young male servant to remove the strip of cloth stuffed in Lingxin’s mouth. The moment it was taken out, Lingxin began crying loudly. “Madam, I’m innocent! I was merely passing by the Third Prince’s Residence. Who could have known that Young Master would see me and tie me up?” “Innocent? Could I have falsely accused you? You came out through the back door of the Third Prince’s Residence. You’re a servant of the Ling Residence, so what were you doing coming out of its back door for?” Ling Jiaxuan demanded. “I… I…” Lingxin’s eyes rolled frantically, but she could not find anything to say in her defense. “Lingxin, if you want to prove your innocence, that’s easy enough. I’ll have Lingxue search your room. That will prove whether you’re innocent,” Ling Jiayue said casually as she adjusted the cloak around her shoulders. “Miss Ling, Lingxin is merely one of your household servants. What harm would there be in searching her room directly? Even if she hasn’t betrayed her master, a servant can simply be dealt with,” Mu Yuheng said, having seen through Ling Jiayue’s intentions. “No, Elder Sister, you can’t search Lingxin’s room!” Having heard that Lingxin had been captured, Ling Zixue hurried to the reception hall. As soon as she heard that Ling Jiayue intended to search Lingxin’s room, she feared that Lingxin’s identity would be exposed and Ling Ziqi would lose one of her trusted confidantes. She hastily tried to stop her. “Zixue, why not?” Madam Liu asked. “Lingxin is still a servant of the residence. If word gets out that we searched her room, people might say that the Prime Minister’s Residence cannot tolerate others,” Ling Zixue hurriedly came up with an excuse. “Miss Ling Zixue, you’re overthinking this. If such a suspicious servant were in our Seventh Prince’s Residence, she would be beaten to death on the spot. No one would think that the Prime Minister’s Residence couldn’t tolerate others,” Feng Yan said. “But…” Before Ling Zixue could say anything else, Ling Jiayue spoke. “Little sister, this servant has been acting suspiciously. Father is ill, yet she ran to the Third Prince’s Residence. No matter what, we must search her room today.” As she spoke, Ling Jiayue completely ignored Ling Zixue’s attempts to stop her and ordered, “Lingxue, go see what’s in Lingxin’s room.” As she said this, Ling Jiayue gave Lingxue another meaningful look. Lingxue immediately understood. “Yes, Miss.” Seeing Lingxue leave to search Lingxin’s room, Ling Zixue could only hope that she would find nothing. Madam Liu, meanwhile, instructed the steward matron to cut a fresh pot of tea and bring it in. Ling Jiayue, Mu Yuheng, and the others drank their tea as they waited for Lingxue to return. Doctor Lin and Ling Jiayue discussed Ling Taian’s illness. The one thing Doctor Lin could confirm was that Ling Taian’s two collapses had been caused by poisoning. However, the poison was extremely potent, colorless, and odorless. When Ling Taian had first fainted, even he had failed to detect it. Doctor Lin said shamefully, “This old man is incompetent. If I had discovered that Ling Taian was poisoned sooner, he would not have reached this state.” Ling Jiayue consoled him. “Doctor Lin, someone deliberately set out to poison him, and we were unable to guard against it. That’s why Father had to suffer this ordeal. If anyone is at fault, it is us as his children. How could it be your fault?” Just then, Lingxue returned. In her hand, she held a small medicine bottle. Lingxue entered the reception hall and presented the bottle with both hands. “Reporting to Madam, Young Master, and Miss, I found this in Lingxin’s room.” “Doctor Lin, please examine it and see what is inside,” Madam Liu said as she handed the small medicine bottle to him. Doctor Lin opened the bottle and smelled it. He then poured some of its contents out and examined them carefully. After repeatedly confirming his findings, he said, “This is what caused the poison in Ling Taian’s body.” “Are you certain?” Ling Jiayue asked. “Certain. This old man has practiced medicine for decades. I absolutely cannot have made a mistake,” Doctor Lin said with certainty. “You wretch! How has the Ling Residence ever wronged you? How dare you attempt to harm Master! Steward matron, slap her!” Madam Liu shouted furiously. After receiving the order, the steward matron stepped forward and raised her hand, delivering dozens of slaps in succession. Lingxin’s cheeks swelled high from the blows. “Who ordered you to harm Master? You’ve been going back and forth to the Third Prince’s Residence so often. Were you acting on Ling Ziqi’s orders? Was this poison powder given to you by Ling Ziqi? Or was it the Third Prince who instructed you to do this?” Ling Jiayue demanded.