The person hidden in the wooden box was none other than Bai Shuangshuang.
Her hair was disheveled, her clothes in disarray. She alternated between laughing and crying, appearing utterly deranged.
"She’s Bai the Selected Attendant from the Eastern Palace..."
"Who is Bai the Selected Attendant?"
"Don’t you know? She used to be Shen Yinning’s personal maid. After the Shen Family’s downfall, she somehow ended up in the Eastern Palace and became the Crown Prince’s concubine."
"What does she mean by that? Could it be that there is some hidden truth behind Cheng Hui’s death all those years ago?"
The murmurs of whispered discussion never ceased.
Shen Yunxi’s face darkened: "Bai Shuangshuang, didn’t I send you to the Shen Garden to serve the Crown Prince? How did you end up here? Where is my White Jade Buddha Statue?!"
Mrs. Qin furrowed her brows deeply, clinging tightly to her handkerchief.
At a time , Xi’er was still obsessing over that White Jade Buddha Statue!
Bai Shuangshuang, that wretched girl, actually revealed the cause of Cheng Hui’s death in front of everyone. Wasn’t she just stirring up trouble for them?!
Back then, when disaster befell the Shen Family, because Cheng Hui came from an influential family, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had no intention of blaming Cheng Hui, let alone taking her life. But how could she and Xi’er tolerate Cheng Hui surviving to possibly seek revenge in the future? Thus, they deliberately had Nanny Zhang devise a method to force Cheng Hui to hang herself.
Originally, they thought this incident would be conclusively labeled a suicide, never to be mentioned again. Who could have expected Bai Shuangshuang to boldly speak the truth in public?!
She immediately commanded, "Second Brother, why are you standing there in a daze? Drag that senseless, slandering wretch out of here immediately!"
Just as Shen Xinglei moved forward, Shen Yinning stopped him: "Hold on! Aunt, Bai the Selected Attendant was once my maid. Although her words are incoherent, why do they sound to me as though there’s some hidden truth about my mother’s death?"
"What hidden truth could there be?" Shen Xinglei scoffed disdainfully, his voice gruff. "Your father and brother committed grave crimes, and your mother, overwhelmed with shame, took her life. What’s there to question?! Bai Shuangshuang has lost her mind—how could the words of a lunatic be taken seriously? Speaking of which, I am curious how this woman ended up inside the box. Could it be that someone tampered with the gifts for Xi’er’s birthday, deliberately ruining our father’s grand celebration?!"
He fixed his piercing gaze, filled with oppressive intent, straight at Shen Yinning.
Shen Yinning let out a faint smirk.
This birthday gift, indeed, was her handiwork.
She had sent someone to Jiangnan ahead of time, intentionally slowing the progress of the White Jade Buddha Statue’s carving. As a result, Shen Yunxi, in her haste to meet the celebration deadline, had no choice but to forgo transporting it via official channels. Instead, she was forced to pay a hefty sum to use Yin Shanshan’s courier company.
Yin Shanshan’s so-called courier company was riddled with flaws, particularly when it came to security, which was practically non-existent. Thus, Shen Yinning easily swapped the gift at the docks, replacing the Buddha statue with Bai Shuangshuang.
Her original intention was merely to play a prank on her uncle’s family, but she hadn’t anticipated Bai Shuangshuang would reveal the truth about her mother’s death in public.
Could this be Lu Ying’s doing?
She cast a suspicious glance toward Lu Ying.
He was already seated, casually toying with the Moyu Ring on his finger. His profile was cold and aloof, exuding natural grandeur. Surrounded by several noble members of the Imperial Family, he appeared entirely detached, watching the Shen Family’s affairs unfold as though it were mere entertainment.
Shen Yinning gave a self-deprecating laugh.
Setting aside the fact that Lu Ying, as royalty, was unlikely to involve himself in such petty matters, his affection for Shen Yunxi alone meant he couldn’t possibly help her deal with Bai Shuangshuang or use underhanded methods to induce Bai Shuangshuang to reveal the truth in public.
If she guessed correctly, it was likely Bai Shuangshuang had been too frightened in the Shen Garden—perhaps she had seen a ghost—and, unable to bear the mental strain, had blurted out the truth in an attempt to absolve her own sins.
Lu Ying had been silently observing the shifts in Shen Yinning’s expression all along.
He narrowed his long, fox-like eyes.
This little vixen—she looked like she didn’t believe him.
She didn’t believe he would lift a finger to help her.
And to think he had gone so far as to use such an expensive potion to ensure Bai Shuangshuang revealed the truth in public. A potion that Xue Ling had procured from the Western Regions at a high price. Once consumed, it would compel a person to confess the most memorable events of their lifetime without restraint.
It cost a fortune for each bottle.
This Shen Yinning, this ungrateful little vixen, truly had no heart.
Still, as he watched her hold her own against the Shen Family’s oppression with effortless grace and composure, a faint smile played at the corner of Lu Ying’s thin lips.
Lu Jiazhe tactfully dragged over a chair.
Shen Yinning gracefully sat down, cradling an enameled hand warmer. With a sweet smile, she said, "Second Cousin, are you accusing me? The birthday gift was meticulously prepared by Sister. I heard it was transported a thousand miles over water from Jiangnan. How could a woman like me, confined indoors, possibly tamper with it?"
Her words inadvertently enlightened Shen Yunxi.
She suddenly turned to glower at Yin Shanshan.
The entire transportation process for this birthday gift had relied on Yin Shanshan’s courier company. If anyone had tampered with it, it could only have been Yin Shanshan!
Still reeling from her shock over Shen Yinning’s identity, Yin Shanshan panicked when she faced Shen Yunxi’s menacing stare. Her words came out in stutters: "Crown... Crown Princess Consort..."
Shen Yunxi raised her hand and delivered a sharp slap: "You wretched maid! Pretending to be at odds with Shen Yinning while secretly colluding with her, plotting to deceive me together?!"
Clutching her reddened cheek, Yin Shanshan wept bitterly: "Your Highness, I swear I don’t know! I have no idea how it happened. I personally supervised the transport of the White Jade Buddha Statue—how could it suddenly become a woman?! I’ve been wronged!"
The hall was in chaos.
Eventually, Shen Xinghan said in a deep voice, "Enough! Today is Father’s rare milestone birthday. This should be a joyous occasion—what’s with all this commotion? Second Brother, have two maids tie up Bai the Selected Attendant. Whatever needs addressing can wait until tomorrow."
Shen Yinning narrowed her eyes.
If she allowed Shen Xinglei to tie Bai Shuangshuang up, the Shen Family would likely silence her by morning, announcing her sudden demise.
Just as she contemplated how to intervene, the Old Madam suddenly spoke in her mellow voice: "The words of a madwoman may not warrant belief, but beneath the heavens, there is no smoke without fire. Perhaps there truly is some hidden truth to Madam Cheng’s death. To clear suspicion, it would be wise for the Duke and Mrs. Qin to investigate thoroughly. Why not summon Nanny Zhang and ask her to clarify how Madam Cheng passed back then?"
With her seniority and respected status, even the Emperor and the Empress Dowager accorded her deference.
None among those present could overrule her authority.
Mrs. Qin’s expression turned complicated, as though she had swallowed a fly.
Shen Yunxi, meanwhile, shot a sharp glare at the Old Madam.
So what if she had knocked out one of her teeth? Was this old hag really holding a grudge and taking revenge on their family here?!
Although reluctant, Mrs. Qin and Shen Yunxi ultimately summoned Nanny Zhang.
Nanny Zhang bowed deeply but turned pale upon suddenly spotting Shen Yinning: "Eldest Miss?!"
"Surprised to see me, Nanny?" Shen Yinning smiled sweetly. "I’d like to ask why, back then, you arranged for Bai Shuangshuang to carry the Blood Hairpin into the Heavenly Prison and deceive my mother into believing I was dead? What grudge did my mother ever bear you that drove you to such lengths to harm her?"