Chapter 43 Shouldn’t You Give My Birth Mother an Explanation?

Shen Ninghua looked down at Madam Zhao condescendingly. Her eyes were cold like autumn water. “Mother, this pearl belonged to the Xia family. As for the one that harmed grandmother, I would like to ask sister Linghan. Where did that pearl come from?”

Shen Linghan suddenly raised her head and said, “I don’t know. I just bought it from the Treasure Gathering House. I didn’t know that the pearl was poisonous.”

Shen Linghan’s expression was extremely innocent, but no one believed her excuse now.

Shen Ninghua looked at Shen Dong and said, “Father, although I can prove my innocence, I still have to admit one thing. That is, ever since I returned to the Shen family, there has been no peace at home. In the beginning, I was allocated the worst courtyard, and then my wine was found to be poisonous… Cousin was injured and she came to question me. She had an accident by Huanhua Stream, and you put the blame on me. And now that Linghan’s birthday gift went wrong, you questioned me again! If I don’t leave the family, I don’t know what will happen to the Shen family or for how many more things I will be held accountable. So, father, please allow me to return to the country villa. ”

Shen Dong’s pupils suddenly shrank. This child…

She was taking one step back now for making two steps forward subsequently! What a good move. Madam Zhao was so angry that blood seemed to be dripping from her heart. Shen Ninghua was forcing Shen Dong to make a decision.

As soon as Shen Ninghua finished speaking, the crowd burst into discussion. The dignified Prime Minister’s family actually treated the only daughter of the first wife like this. If the news spread out, the Shen family would be subject to great humiliation.

No matter how much Shen Dong loved Shen Linghan, he had to uphold justice in front of so many people!

“Shen Linghan, you really disappointed me.”

“Father, it’s not me. It’s really not me.” Shen Linghan shook her head crazily. At this moment, confessing meant courting death. “Shopkeeper Zhang, it must be him. Father, I’m innocent.”

When the shopkeeper heard this, he almost jumped up. “Miss Shen, don’t make such an unfounded attack upon me. I do legitimate business, not some secret killing stuff. When the pearl was sold, there was nothing wrong with it. Who knows what happened afterwards?” Originally, he didn’t dare to say more, for fear that he would offend the Prime Minister, but now that his life was at stake, he didn’t worry so much.

Madam Zhao held onto Shen Linghan’s hand tightly and looked at Shen Xuanye pleadingly. At this time, she could only ask for help from her son.

Shen Xuanye coldly looked at Shen Linghan who was crying on the ground without any bit of her usual elegance. Deep disgust flashed in his eyes. However, he could not see her die without offering any help. “Father, my younger sister has a deep affection for grandmother, and although she is a little arrogant, she has no intention of harming people. She is so young. Where can she possibly get such a vicious poison as the corpse melting water?”

Shen Dong suppressed his anger and looked at his second daughter whose face was covered in tears. He then looked at Shen Ninghua who had cold eyes. A feeling of powerlessness surged up in his heart.

Chen Yun wrapped the pearl in a greasy cloth and carefully inspected it for a long time. Suddenly, he said, “The poison in this pearl must have been put in for no more than two hours. Because the effect of the corpse melting water was too strong, the pearl would corrode if it contained the poison for a long time. Two hours are not too long a time. If we do a thorough search now, we should be able to find some traces.”

Shen Ninghua secretly curled her lips and secretly admired: Doctor Chen’s medical skills were really excellent and deserved his high reputation.

After Chen Yun said those words, Shen Dong also knew what to do. “Carefully search the entire Shen Mansion. Don’t miss any place.”

Madam Zhao’s heart was stressed. She was afraid that Shen Ninghua had already known about this matter. If her guess was correct, then perhaps something fishy would be found in her or Shen Linghan’s courtyard very soon. Today, more than half of the influential people in the capital had come. Besides, two princes were also present. If they really found anything in her courtyard, she would be completely destroyed.

Chu Junyi enjoyed the drama from the side. With the ability of Zhao Yunxiang and her daughter, even if there were more of them, they were no rival to the black-hearted girl. Watching this drama was really an awesome experience that made people feel relieved. Indeed, this pair of mother and daughter had caused quite a lot of trouble. At this moment, he only felt relieved and did not notice that his attention to Shen Ninghua had unknowingly increased a lot.

An hour later, the servants sent to search the courtyards came back and reported, “Your Highnesses, my lord, we didn’t find anything suspicious.”

Hearing this, Madam Zhao immediately felt relaxed; then she was ecstatic: since they didn’t find anything, it seemed that Shen Xuanye must have secretly made some arrangement.

Chu Junyi also paused and subconsciously observed Shen Ninghua’s expression. This was a good opportunity to punish Zhao Yunxiang and her daughter. Why didn’t Shen Ninghua take this opportunity?

Shen Linghan cried softly. “Father, I’m really innocent. I won’t harm my grandmother.” Tears went down her face like rain dropping on flowers, making many people who suspected her a moment ago feel a little embarrassed.

Madam Zhao looked up at Shen Ninghua. Her eyes were sharp like steel needles. “Master, it has been four hours since the banquet was held. After the banquet began, no one else has come into the Shen Mansion. According to doctor Chen, the corpse melting water must have been put into the illuminating pearl in our house. Since nothing has been found, someone must have plotted against our Shen family.” Right now, she didn’t dare to drag Shen Ninghua into the trouble. She only hoped that she could quickly get Shen Linghan out of it.

Shen Dong’s expression was still bad, but he was much more relaxed than before. As long as there was no such a shocking scandal in which a granddaughter murdered her grandmother, the other issues would be easy to deal with. If this matter was dealt with properly, the Shen family might even be able to benefit from it. Thinking about it, he said, “In that case…”

Shen Ninghua suddenly walked out and knelt down in front of Shen Dong. “Father.”

Shen Dong paused. “Do you have something to say?”

Shen Ninghua turned around and looked at Madam Zhao, as if she had made up her mind. She lowered her head and asked, “Father, has my birth mother’s courtyard been searched?”

Boom!

Madam Zhao felt a thunderbolt exploding near her ear, and a dark coldness swept her heart, making her almost impossible to move. She finally realized that Shen Ninghua didn’t want to take the lives of her and Shen Linghan at all. Instead, Shen Ninghua was trying to make their lives worse than death!

Shen Dong lowered his head and looked at Shen Ninghua. His heart surged with complicated emotions.

Chu Junyi swayed his fan and asked the guards below, “Did you search the courtyard of the first Miss Shen’s birth mother?”

The guard who reported the search results looked at Shen Dong and shook his head, “We didn’t. The courtyard has been sealed for many years.”

Chu Junyi said disapprovingly, “That’s why you should pay special attention to it. If the thieves were clever, wouldn’t they choose to hide in such a courtyard?”

“This…after all, this is the courtyard where the former matriarch once lived…”

Chu Junyi closed the fan and suddenly regained consciousness, “That’s right, but if it wasn’t searched, I’m afraid Madam Zhao and the second Miss Shen won’t be satisfied either. Since it was the courtyard of the eldest young lady’s birth mother, it would be fine if the eldest young lady goes there with you to have a look in the courtyard. Miss Ninghua is the most filial. She must have longed to see her birth mother’s courtyard for a long time.”

As soon as Chu Junyi said this, everyone agreed.

Shen Ninghua looked up at Chu Junyi who was wearing a casual smile, and the coldness in her eyes dissipated a bit.

“No!” Madam Zhao suddenly shouted coldly. How could she let people go and see Xia Jingyan’s courtyard where the dowry inside was still half missing.

Shen Ninghua frowned. “Mother, every time I asked to see my birth mother’s yard, you always said that things weren’t tidied up. But before the banquet began, you said that everything was in order, and that I could visit the yard when grandmother’s birthday banquet ended. Why can’t I go there now?”

People’s astonished gazes were focused on Madam Zhao, and Shen Dong’s eyes were filled with suspicion: That’s right. Why did Madam Zhao repeatedly stop Shen Ninghua from going to Madam Xia’s courtyard?

Zhao Yunxiang was covered in cold sweat and her brain was rumbling. She couldn’t afford to have her reputation destroyed. Otherwise, the Zhao family alone wouldn’t tolerate her!

“Master, my elder sister’s courtyard…”

Shen Dong frowned and looked at her. “What’s wrong with Xia’s courtyard?”

Zhao Yunxiang tried hard to maintain the expression on her face. She felt as if she had been forced to the edge of the cliff, “Nothing.”

Shen Ninghua kowtowed to Shen Dong and said firmly, “Father, your daughter Shen Ninghua begged to be allowed to see her birth mother’s courtyard.”

No one could say anything if their own daughter wanted to see her mother’s courtyard.

“Alright, bring someone with you and take a look.”

“Thank you, father.” Shen Ninghua stood up and said, “Bai Ruo, Hong Ling, Qing Que, and Bi Zhu, follow me to take a look.”

Madam Su suddenly stood up and said, “Ninghua, let me go with you.”

Madam Shao also stood up. “It’s not convenient for men to go to the backyard. Then let’s accompany Ninghua to take a look. Ninghua is a girl with a pure and kind heart. Seeing his mother’s courtyard will inevitably make her sad. We can comfort her a little.”

They had witnessed Madam Zhao’s performance. They all had plenty of experience managing the backyard. Therefore, how could they fail to detect that something fishy was definitely going on?

Madam Zhao’s face turned pale, and Shen Linghan was almost unable to support her. Nurse Qin stepped forward to support her arm and stopped her from falling to the ground.

Shen Linghan anxiously looked at Shen Xuanye. They mustn’t let bad things happen to mother. If their mother was convicted, their status would also be in danger.

Shen Xuanye’s expression darkened. He had just seen Zhao Yunxiang’s performance, and he understood the situation quite well. He really did not expect that Madam Zhao would actually get her hands on the dowry of a dead person. Would she lack money in the Shen family? How come she was reduced to using a dead person’s belongs! This made him so angry that he gritted his teeth.

Now the only way to stop Shen Ninghua was to destroy Madam Xia’s courtyard. Even if it was suspicious, but without concrete evidence, no one dared to say anything recklessly.

A quarter of an hour later, the courtyard suddenly became chaotic, and people could hear shouts:

“Fire. Quickly come and put out the fire.”

Hearing this, Madam Zhao, who had thought that she was doomed, suddenly raised her head. Seeing Shen Xuanye nodding reassuringly to her, her heart finally relaxed. The feeling of surviving a disaster made her paralyze on the ground. Cold sweat dripped down her chin on the embroidered dress.

Chu Junyi smiled and said with a faint gaze, “The fire started just in time.” It was obvious a hasty cover-up, but he didn’t know if Shen Ninghua was prepared for this.

Just as he was thinking, the curtain at the entrance of the hall was suddenly lifted. Shen Ninghua stepped into the hall with a cold aura. Her gaze was sharp like a knife, but tears kept falling down. “Mother, should you give my birth mother an explanation?”