Chapter 262

Chapter 262 Jiang Baobao: "She'll send someone ahead of time to damage the rockery. When the time comes, I'll cry out that my stomach hurts near the rockery and call you over." "Once you come over, I'll find a way to tussle with you and take the opportunity to fall off the rockery. That way, I can both frame you and avenge our past grudge, while also taking the chance to miscarry the child." "The Prince will remember our old bond—since I carried his child and suffered a miscarriage, he'll surely treat me better than he does now." Hearing this, Xie Run had to admit that Wan Linlang knew how to scheme. If she were truly plotting for Jiang Baobao's benefit, her chances of success would be considerable. When Jiang Baobao finished speaking, Xie Run only asked, "And the evidence?" Jiang Baobao was stunned for a moment, staring blankly at Xie Run. "What evidence?" "You say Wan Linlang secretly brought you food in the small Buddhist hall, that she taught you to fake a pregnancy to compete for favor, and that she told you to use a miscarriage to frame someone. These things aren't just something you claim out of thin air and they become Wan Linlang's doing." "First, you need evidence." Jiang Baobao's mind went blank as she desperately tried to recall what evidence she held against Wan Linlang. Nothing! She had nothing! Jiang Baobao had always looked down on those of lower status than herself. When Wan Linlang had come to curry favor, she'd treated her like a lapdog wagging around her feet. That she was willing to give Wan Linlang any benefits at all was out of the kindness of her heart—how could she have suspected this lapdog of wanting to harm her? Xie Run asked, "What about the fake pregnancy medicine you took?" Jiang Baobao said dully, "I only took it twice while in the small Buddhist hall. She said she needed to watch over me and confirm she could feel a pregnancy pulse before she'd be at ease." "Just those two times... She even took the bottle away afterward." "What bottle?" "A dark red porcelain bottle with a few chips missing from the rim—very ordinary..." Jiang Baobao tried to recall. Xie Run asked again, "And who prepared the blood pack for your fake pregnancy?" Jiang Baobao's voice wilted. "She taught me the method. I spent silver to bribe the old woman at the East Corner Gate to buy it from outside." Xie Run: "...In other words, you have not a shred of evidence against Wan Linlang?" Jiang Baobao: "The people around me can testify!" Xie Run: "Those who would help you with this must be your trusted confidants—in other words, your own mouthpieces." "Their testimony... is better than nothing." The more Jiang Baobao listened to Xie Run's analysis, the more panicked she became. She gritted her teeth and said, "I'm not lying—she planned everything!" "Now that you're managing the Prince's household, aren't you capable?" "Go investigate! Go investigate!" Xie Run looked at Jiang Baobao with deep, calm eyes. "Wan Linlang is always careful in her dealings. If nothing unexpected happens, even an investigation will only trace back to you—it won't possibly implicate her." "You're foolish and arrogant, daring to scheme with a tiger..." Xie Run still wanted to extract information from her, so she refrained from saying anything too harsh. Jiang Baobao only said, "I didn't do it, and that's that!" Xie Run: "I still have some questions for you. If you answer honestly, perhaps your crimes will be treated more leniently." "If not, the day the Prince returns will be the day you die." Jiang Baobao shrank back in fear. Xie Run asked seriously, "When Wan Linlang taught you to fall from the rockery, did she mention any other plans?" Jiang Baobao looked at her blankly. "What other plans?" Xie Run guessed Wan Linlang hadn't said anything. Wan Linlang was using this one move to utterly destroy Jiang Baobao—she truly hadn't left her any chance at survival. Xie Run: "When you fell from the rockery, you caused Consort Sun's face to be ruined." "Eldest Young Master was struck on the head and still hasn't woken up." Xie Run looked at her quietly. "You don't think these were all coincidences, do you?" Jiang Baobao stared quietly at Xie Run, but her body trembled involuntarily. "You mean... all of this was Wan Linlang's doing?" Xie Run looked at her calmly. "If you don't confess everything you know, in the end, all of this will become your scheme." "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!" Jiang Baobao finally panicked. "Ask me anything, and I'll answer." "I didn't know Consort Sun and Eldest Young Master were down below." "I never thought about scheming against anyone else. Wan Linlang only said that you had bullied me before and were the most favored in the household—that if you harmed my child, the Prince would never dote on you again." "She also said that not many people passed by Feihe Pavilion, which made it convenient for me to frame you. She said if I claimed you pushed me, no one could testify on your behalf. I thought her reasoning made sense... How could I have known Consort Sun and Eldest Young Master were down there?" Xie Run thought that Jiang Baobao was telling the truth. But truth without evidence was nothing but empty words. "Get some rest. I need to go investigate this matter as well." Jiang Baobao grabbed at Xie Run's sleeve, her voice hoarse like a vengeful ghost. "When she taught me to use the fake pregnancy medicine, she felt my pulse—she must have discovered I was actually pregnant back then!" "She kept it from me the whole time and fed me the fake pregnancy medicine, making me truly believe I wasn't pregnant... My child was killed by her!" "Before today, I never knew I was really pregnant!" "If I had known I was truly pregnant, I would never have used my own child to harm you!" Xie Run: "If you hadn't been so ruthless with yourself, perhaps your child might have survived." The moment Jiang Baobao rolled down from the rockery, Xie Run could only commend her as a ruthless one. "Rest well. If I find anything, I'll send someone to inform you." Jiang Baobao: "And what about Wan Linlang?" "If the evidence is conclusive, she certainly won't escape punishment." "And if there's no evidence?" Xie Run said nothing. Because she wasn't a legitimate mistress, without evidence, she couldn't punish anyone. Jiang Baobao bit her lower lip, not even noticing when it began to bleed. Xie Run left the courtyard, only instructing people to keep watch on the Eldest Young Master and the wet nurse. Those two—there was definitely something suspicious about them! Returning to Spring Mountain Courtyard, the room was warm and cozy. Yueliang'er had somehow cut a cluster of red plum blossoms and placed them in a vase, playing with Taotao. Xie Run stood at the doorway watching for a while, only stepping forward after the chill on her body had dissipated. Taotao saw her and called out crisply, "Mother!" Xie Run sat down on a chair. "Come here, let Mother hold you!" Taotao immediately charged over like a little cannonball, crashing into Xie Run's arms. Xie Run held him tightly, gently rocking him, her thoughts somewhat scattered. Taotao called out "Mother" and raised his hand to show Xie Run. Xie Run looked down and saw a plum blossom clutched in his little palm. "I wonder how your father is faring in Qiangwu." Taotao didn't understand Xie Run's unease, only lowering his head to play with the plum blossom in his hand. That night, the more Xie Run thought about it, the more something felt wrong. She suddenly sat up in bed. "Something's not right!"