The Marquis Is Innocent

The cat jumped to the ground, came up to the leftover, and sniffed it. ‘Meowed’ and stuck out its tongue to lick it. Xiao Qiao leaned down, picked it up, then took it to the door and let it out.

When she raised her head, she glanced at Old Jiang in the corridor, turned around without a sound, and returned to the room.

The room was silent for a moment.

Mrs. Zhu looked at the pile of noodles on the floor mixed with broken bowl pieces, and her face looked terrible. When she looked at Xiao Qiao, she seemed like she was about to have a temper but held her tongue. Old Zhong suppressed her doubts and went to the front of the room to round up the situation: “This cat is naughty and spoiled. It is always playing around. I saw it jump out by itself and knock over the tray. Please don’t mind, Madam.”

Mrs. Xu glanced at Xiao Qiao. She still looked calm, as if nothing had happened, and did not even explain anything to Mrs. Zhu.

Mrs. Xu felt something strange about her unusual reaction. But she didn’t think deeply about it and noticed Mrs. Zhu’s face was ugly and wanted to flare up, but she didn’t dare to do so in front of her. She sighed and thought she was still biased after all: ” Well, it’s just an animal. I appreciate your intention. Next time, I’ll ask you to make it if I want to eat. I am getting tired. You can go back first.”

Mrs. Zhu secretly hated Xiao Qiao. She suspected she had deliberately let the cat knock over her tray to prevent her from doing her filial duty. Mrs. Xu had spoken like this with a biased tone, and Mrs. Zhu was more resentful. She barely controlled her face, answered, excused herself, and left together with Old Jiang, who kept looking back.

Old Zhong asked her servant to come in and clean up the leftover noodles on the floor with the soup. She served Mrs. Xu to lie back on the bed again.

Xiao Qiao watched, and when the servant put it away and was about to leave, she said to Old Zhong, “May I have a word with you, Aunt?”

Old Zhong glanced at her and answered. They went out of the room after informing Mrs. Xu.

As soon as they left the room, Xiao Qiao ordered the floor sweeper to bring the leftover soup and noodles with her and followed her. Old Zhong felt puzzled but did not ask and followed Xiao Qiao to an open space in the courtyard. Xiao Qiao ordered the servant to put down the leftover noodles and leave. When no one was around, she said, ” I guess Aunt could see that I intentionally released the cat and knocked over the tray in Madam’s hand.”

Old Zhong naturally noticed it. Although confused, she still stepped forward to round up the scene. When she took the initiative to mention it, she said, “Why did you do that?”

Xiao Qiao said straightforwardly. “I suspect there is something unclean in this soup noodle.”

Old Zhong was shocked. Looking at Xiao Qiao, she said, “Do you know what you mean by that?”

Xiao Qiao released a deep breath and said, “I naturally know. Frankly, I am not very sure. But since I have suspicions, for the sake of Grandmother’s safety, even though I know this is not appropriate, I had to do it.”

Old Zhong looked at her for a moment, and her expression gradually relaxed. She nodded and said: “You are doing the right thing. You should never give it to Old Madam. No matter if it is clean or not when there is doubt. You are usually a disciplined person. Since you have taken action today and called me here, you must have a reason. Please tell me.”

Xiao Qiao said: “Aunt knows my mother-in-law has been displeased with me since I entered the door. Old Jiang beside her is always instigating my mother-in-law to target me. I don’t hide it from Aunt. I know I am from the Qiao family. Qiao and Wei have a grudge against each other. It is important to guard against people, so I asked my nurse to befriend Old Huang in the east room and asked her to pay more attention to Old Jiang’s movements. If there is any abnormality, she will report it to me, and I can anticipate it. A few days ago, Old Huang said Old Jiang quietly left the residence from the back door. She went to the house of a Country Marquis lady surnamed Li. She came through the back door and came out of no more than a tea time with strange behavior. I asked around. My mother-in-law and the Country Marquis lady should not have much contact with each other. I’m concerned and asked someone to keep an eye on the Country Marquis lady. This morning, I got the news the Country Marquis lady had a snake poison from her country. One drop is enough to kill a person. I thought Old Jiang probably had a relationship with the Country Marquis lady behind Madam, and I’m worried. I hurried home, and when I came here, I saw Old Jiang outside the door, and my mother-in-law was handing food to Grandmother. I’m afraid there will be a problem and in a hurry. I didn’t think much about it, so I carried the cat out and knocked over the tray.”

With Xiao Qiao’s words, Old Zhong’s expression became more gloomy.

Xiao Qiao said: “Aunt, I said just now. I don’t know whether or not Old Jiang went to the marquis’ house to take the snake poison. Even if she did, I don’t know who she wanted to drug. It’s just my intuition. That is why I did not dare to say anything in front of Grandmother, only calling Aunt out to speak. Whether this bowl of noodles is clean or not, from now on, Aunt must pay attention to Old Jiang!”

Old Zhong stared at the pile of leftover noodles on the ground in the dustpan. She suddenly took it, walked quickly to the bowl in the corner of the courtyard where the golden fish was kept and poured the leftover noodles down along with the soup.

Xiao Qiao went forward, holding her breath, and looked at it with wide eyes along with Old Zhong.

Xiao Qiao glanced at Old Zhong.

Old Zhong’s eyes stared deadly at the golden fish turned over its belly. Her face suddenly became blue, and her eyes were like a raging fire. She turned around and ran to Mrs. Xu’s room.

……

Old Jiang followed Mrs. Zhu back to the east house and was worried beyond belief.

Unexpectedly, the cat knocked that bowl of noodles to the ground before being delivered to Mrs. Xu.

When she thought of Xiao Qiao’s gazes at her when she sent the cat out, her nerves were tense.

The Qiao girl can’t know the truth about this bowl of noodles.

But why would it be such a coincidence the cat she held in her arms flew just in time to spoil the carefully prepared matter?

According to the previous deal, someone waited for her at the back door to deliver the message.

She felt restless and felt the wind blowing at her back. She wanted to go out quickly to deliver the message. But Mrs. Zhu kept talking to her, scolding the Qiao girl in front of her for her sinister intentions and not wanting to see Mrs. Xu treating her better.

Old Jiang patiently persuaded and finally pacified Mrs. Zhu and sent her back to her room. She hurried to the back door when she heard the sound of footsteps in the courtyard and looked at Old Zhong led seven or eight maids.

Old Zhong standing there, her eyes seemed like bursting ice pillars. Sweeping her coldly from head to toe and did not say anything. The two servants behind her came up and caught Old Jiang’s hand.

In her room, Mrs. Zhu drifted in thought and suddenly heard chaotic footsteps from the courtyard. Annoyed, she got up and was about to reprimand them, but suddenly the door was pushed open. Old Zhong appeared in the doorway.

Mrs. Zhu was shocked: “What are you doing?”

Old Zhong stared at Mrs. Zhu and said, “Old Madam asked me to invite Madam over. There is something to ask.”

Mrs. Zhu did not understand. She felt something happen and thought about the cursed doll. Her heart jumped, but on second thought, people couldn’t know this hidden matter.

Old Zhong said indifferently: “Madam will know when you are there.”

Mrs. Zhu fearfully went to the north house again. Once the people left, Old Zhong scanned the house and ordered her subordinates, “Take all the people in this house away to search. Search carefully, don’t let a single corner go.”

“Do not spread the word.”

The last thing she said was this.

……

Mrs. Zhu arrived at the north house. At first, she was not allowed to enter the main room.

A servant took her to a side room. After waiting for a long time, she felt impatient. She got up several times to go out, but a servant stopped her.

When the servant stopped her for the third time, Mrs. Zhu was furious: “How dare you! Could it be that my son is not the ruler of the Wei Manor? How dare you treat rudely so badly!”