Granny Gui's entire family was in the Ren Family, so she couldn't run away anytime soon.
Old Madam Ren nodded to Shanhu, who then went out again.
Third Master Ren Shimin arrived together with Third Madam, Madam Li.
Seeing a room full of people, Third Master was somewhat bewildered: "Fifth Brother, why did you urgently summon me to Mother's place?"
Ren Shimiao usually got along well with Ren Shimin. If Concubine Fang truly was behind the medicine-switching incident for Ren Yaoyu, he would certainly not let that woman off easily. However, Concubine Fang was Ren Shimin's concubine and had borne him a son and a daughter. Thinking this, Ren Shimiao felt somewhat conflicted.
Fifth Madam Ren had no such concerns. Right then and there, in front of Ren Shimin and Madam Li, she recounted once more how Concubine Fang had colluded with Granny Gui to harm Ren Yaoyu. She had repeated this story more than once, and the more she told it, the more fluently it came out. However, thinking that Concubine Fang would surely face dire consequences this time, Madam Lin felt a faint thrill of excitement.
After hearing this, Ren Shimin frowned deeply, glanced at Madam Li, then turned his gaze toward Old Madam Ren.
Just as Old Madam Ren was about to speak, Shanhu reported that the physician summoned by Fifth Master had arrived.
The old madam glanced at Madam Lin, who was still arrogantly chattering away at Madam Li, and Madam Lin finally fell silent for the moment.
The physician was invited in, and the old madam asked him to examine the medicinal dregs. No one spoke while the physician inspected the dregs. Everyone knew that family scandals should not be aired in public. Even if Madam Lin might disregard this, with the old madam present, she dared not act too recklessly.
The physician carefully examined the dregs several times, and his face couldn't help but show astonishment. He cupped his hands and said, "May I ask, Old Madam, who in your household is taking this medicine? And what ailment are they suffering from?"
Old Madam Ren replied calmly, "It's for a servant in the household. They might have taken the wrong medicine, so we asked you here to inquire."
The physician didn't believe Old Madam Ren's words, but he said nothing about it. Instead, he pondered and said, "Whoever is taking this, they should stop immediately! Several ingredients in this mixture not only fail to cure illness but can actually harm people. Those who take it may experience mild symptoms like irritability and agitation, or in severe cases... they could develop madness."
Fifth Madam hadn't felt too affected before, but hearing the physician say this with her own ears, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and sob softly. Fifth Master quickly took her hand, though his own eyes were also reddening. He hadn't realized that during that period, due to his own mistakes, he had caused his wife and daughter to suffer such torment.
Old Madam Ren glanced at Fifth Master and his wife, then averted her eyes as if they weren't there.
The physician also acted as if he saw nothing. He simply opened his medicine chest, took out brush and ink, and began writing a prescription. As he wrote, he said, "I'll write a prescription for that servant of yours who mistakenly took this medicine. Following this prescription can neutralize the effects. If the symptoms are mild, it shouldn't be a problem."
Fifth Master immediately asked, "What if they've already been taking it for some time? They did exhibit the symptoms you mentioned back then, though now they seem fine. But we don't know if this will have any lasting effects."
The physician had just finished writing the prescription. Hearing this, he picked up his brush again and revised the prescription several times before handing it directly to Ren Shimiao. "It should be fine, but to be safe, it's best to take a few doses according to this prescription."Ren Shimiao took the prescription from the physician and expressed his thanks.
Old Madam Ren then had someone escort the physician out.
No sooner had the physician left the courtyard than Granny Gui was brought in.
To say she was "brought in" was being polite—Granny Gui was carried in. Her face was deathly pale, her eyes vacant, and she leaned so heavily on a maidservant’s shoulder that she could barely stand.
Shanhu approached Old Madam Ren and said softly, "Old Madam, when I found Granny Gui in her courtyard, she was already foaming at the mouth and lying on the ground. I discovered some rat poison nearby. I had someone force-feed her a bowl of plant ash water, and after vomiting, she improved somewhat." As she spoke, Shanhu carefully produced a small bundle wrapped in a handkerchief.
Was Granny Gui trying to kill herself? Did this mean she was tacitly admitting to switching Ren Yaoyu’s medicine? Old Madam Ren glared furiously at the half-dead Granny Gui.
Madam Lin tried to break free from Fifth Master’s grip to confront her, but he held her back firmly. Glancing at Old Madam Ren, he comforted his wife, "Mother is here. She will handle this matter."
Old Madam Ren’s expression darkened further.
She did not call the physician back but instead looked down at Granny Gui and asked, "Was it you who had Wife Niu switch Yu'er’s medicine?"
Granny Gui had regained some awareness by then and heard Old Madam Ren’s words, but she kept her head bowed and remained silent.
"If you’re not dead, then speak!" Old Madam Ren snapped angrily.
Granny Gui had served her for over thirty years and had always understood her thoughts well, handling matters efficiently. Old Madam Ren had believed in her loyalty and had given her every possible honor. Never did she expect such a betrayal at this critical moment. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
Granny Gui shuddered, whether from the effects of the poison or from fear, but she still did not speak.
Madam Lin glanced at Wife Niu kneeling nearby and repeated her earlier tactic, shouting, "If you don’t tell the truth today, I’ll have our master bind your entire family! The women will be sold to brothels to be defiled, and the men will be fed the same poison you gave Yu'er! Your grandson is about to be born, isn’t he? Once he’s born, I’ll make sure he gets his fill!"
Granny Gui immediately looked up, the lifelessness in her eyes replaced by a flicker of clarity. She stared at Madam Lin in disbelief, then turned tearfully to Old Madam Ren, her face filled with pleading.
Though Old Madam Ren found Madam Lin’s words crude, she ignored Granny Gui’s desperate gaze.
Granny Gui closed her eyes in defeat, opened her mouth, and spoke in a hoarse, raspy voice like a broken bellows, "Yes, it was me. But I acted alone. It has nothing to do with my family."
Madam Lin immediately pressed, "Who ordered you to do it?"
Granny Gui remained silent for a moment before replying, "No one. I did it on my own. Because Madam Lin once offended me, I held a grudge, so..."
"You’re lying!" Madam Lin jumped up, only to be pulled back down by Ren Shimiao.Ren Shimao glanced at Ren Shimin, then said to Granny Gui, "Why suffer for others? We all know perfectly well who stands behind you. Besides, if you don’t want others to know, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place. Could your family truly be unaware of whom you secretly conspired with? We’ve heard that your daughter-in-law seems to know something and resents you for disregarding your status to associate with a certain someone. Shall I summon your daughter-in-law for questioning?"
Granny Gui’s daughter-in-law was currently pregnant and had just fainted from the shock of her mother-in-law’s sudden suicide attempt. If she were brought over and subjected to further distress, the child would surely be lost. Granny Gui harbored deep hatred for Fifth Master Ren and his wife.
At this moment, Third Master Ren Shimin, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. He walked directly up to Granny Gui, frowned as he examined her for a moment, and asked, "Was it Madam Fang who instructed you from behind the scenes?"
Upon hearing this, Granny Gui’s eyelashes trembled slightly, but she lowered her head and said nothing.
Ren Shimin sighed. "It seems it was indeed her."
Third Master Ren approached Ren Shimao, bowed, and saluted him. "Fifth Brother, this time it is your third brother who has wronged you. Rest assured, I will give you a proper explanation."
Ren Shimao hurriedly replied, "Third Brother, this matter is not your fault. How could a man like you possibly know the affairs of the inner courtyard?"
Madam Li also stepped forward, curtsied, and said with remorse, "Fifth Brother, Fifth Sister-in-law, it was my failure to properly manage the inner courtyard of the third branch. I offer you my apologies."
Ren Shimao could not muster any anger toward Madam Li and exchanged a few polite words with her. However, Madam Lin muttered from the side, "Can’t even control a concubine—utterly useless!"
Madam Li felt somewhat embarrassed.
Though Third Master Ren was easygoing by nature, he was upright and fair-minded. He spoke impartially: "Concubine Fang does not reside in Purple Magnolia Courtyard. Even if Madam Li wished to manage her, she could not. This matter should be blamed on the Ren Family’s excessive leniency toward concubines."
However, this casual, thoughtless remark inadvertently offended his mother, as it was Old Madam Ren who had elevated Concubine Fang and granted her various privileges.
Fifth Master Ren and his wife, along with First Madam, who had been pretending to be invisible, all glanced at Old Madam Ren.
Old Madam Ren snorted displeasedly and vented her anger on Madam Li: "If you could bear a son, would I need to elevate a concubine?"
These words struck a painful chord in Madam Li’s heart. She bit her lip and lowered her head.
What Fifth Master Ren most wanted now was for Concubine Fang to come forward, confess, and accept punishment, so he interjected, "Why hasn’t Concubine Fang arrived yet?"
Could she have also taken her own life like Granny Gui? He did not voice this last thought aloud.
However, Old Madam Ren had also considered this possibility, and her expression changed.
Yet they had all underestimated Concubine Fang. A person like her would never willingly seek death—the word "surrender" had never existed in her life. When she had struggled to survive under her stepmother’s control, what kind of hardships had she not endured? In the end, her half-sisters had all met unfortunate fates, but she alone had carved out a path for herself amidst adversity, even helping her brother establish a family business so that he, in turn, could become her support.
Before Old Madam Ren sent someone to fetch her, Concubine Fang had already received word. She immediately instructed a maid to summon Sixth Young Master Ren Yihong back and told Ren Yaoying to stay in her room and not come out.However, what Concubine Fang did not know was that her every move had already been monitored by Ren Yaoqi, who had Nanny Zhou arrange for someone to keep an eye on her even before Xueli intercepted Madam Lin.
Thus, Ren Yihong was intercepted halfway back by Wujing, who used the excuse of Fifth Master summoning him to bring Ren Yihong to Purple Magnolia Courtyard and had him wait in Fifth Master’s study.
Concubine Fang did not see Ren Yihong arrive, and she immediately realized that she might have been set up today.
After a moment of thought, Concubine Fang said to her maid, “Quickly send someone to invite the Old Master back.”
A Concubine Fang who doesn’t struggle is not Concubine Fang^^~
The Ren Family’s values were already skewed to begin with, which is the main reason why such an extraordinary Concubine Fang came to be.
｀（∩_∩）′.
Lastly, dear readers, could you check if you still have any pink votes left?
Sincerely asking for votes~
Could readers from the Qidian Taiwan site cast some golden praise votes? The author is very grateful for your support^^~.
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