“Madam Mu says that lightly; the knife isn't stuck in you, so of course, you don't feel the pain.”
“Wicked Daughter, what is your attitude! You completely disregard hierarchy!”
“Hierarchy, hierarchy—but there must be a superior before there can be an inferior. I have endured undeserved grievances for six years. Now, I only wish to seek justice for myself. What is wrong with that? Although I am not Madam Mu’s biological daughter, I shouldn't be treated this poorly, should I?”
“You…”
“Enough, Minister Mu. Things have reached this point; there must be an explanation. Please remain calm. There is no rush to discipline your daughter.”
The Emperor Dongfeng spoke, and Mu Yuanlin, no matter how angry he was, could only suppress it.
Mu Ning continued to question, “Shopkeeper Zhu, without revealing the buyer’s identity, could you answer one question for me?”
“Please speak, Young Lady.”
Mu Ning took out two portraits, displayed them publicly for a moment, and then allowed Shopkeeper Zhu to examine them.
“Have these two people ever purchased Hehuan Powder at your Jiuzhentang?”
When Shopkeeper Zhu showed hesitation, Mu Ning chuckled lightly, “They are not the buyers, so there is no issue of revealing the buyer’s identity, is there?”
Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized the true purpose of Mu Ning summoning the Shopkeeper of Jiuzhentang.
Everyone, including the Emperor Dongfeng, thought Mu Ning sought the Jiuzhentang shopkeeper to investigate the original purchaser of the medicine. Instead, Mu Ning did the opposite, merely wanting to prove that she herself had not bought the medicine.
Even Shopkeeper Zhu marveled at Mu Ning’s intelligence and felt inclined to help her.
“Yes, the two women in the portraits definitely did not purchase Hehuan Powder at our Jiuzhentang; they are not customers of Jiuzhentang.”
The people in the portraits were the Original Host and the Maidservant Xiao Hong from six years ago!
The reason for using portraits was that the Original Host from six years ago was completely different from the current Mu Ning.
Madam Mu spoke up unwillingly, stirring trouble, “Ning’er, even if you didn't buy the medicine, that doesn't prove Xi’er harmed you. Shopkeeper Zhu, you should recognize my Xi’er, right? Did my Xi’er buy Hehuan Powder at your shop six years ago?”
Shopkeeper Zhu shook his head, “She did not. Hehuan Powder is potent and has a complex formula, making it extremely expensive. Jiuzhentang only sells two or three portions annually. I remember all the buyers and can confirm that no Miss Mu purchased it.”
“Ning’er, you heard him! Xi’er didn't buy the medicine either!”
Mu Ning smiled, “I never said Mu Xi bought the medicine herself. Does Madam Mu still remember Ban Xia?”
Madam Mu’s eyelids twitched. She immediately recalled that Ban Xia was dead and relaxed.
“It sounds a bit familiar, I think I’ve heard that name. Why are you asking about her?”
“Madam Mu truly has a poor memory. Ban Xia was once your Maidservant, serving you for nearly a year. Later, she was sold off because she made a mistake.”
Madam Mu suddenly remembered, “Oh, it’s her. I recall now. Indeed, she used to be my Maidservant, but unfortunately, she was dishonest and loved to shirk responsibility…”
“You are lying!”
Before Madam Mu could finish speaking, a young woman suddenly stood up from the banquet.
Everyone was confused, but Madam Mu’s expression changed drastically.
Ban Xia! Didn't she die from the Plague?
The young woman quickly walked forward from her seat and knelt to perform a kowtow to the Emperor Dongfeng.
“Your humble servant, Jiang Banxia, pays respects to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor, long live, long live.”
Madam Mu looked on in disbelief, “You, aren’t you already dead?”
Jiang Banxia looked up at Madam Mu, her eyes filled with hatred, “I have disappointed Madam. You schemed to send me to the Plague-ridden area hoping I would die, but I luckily survived.”
“It was because you broke the rules and were incorrigible that I sold you off.”
Jiang Banxia smiled faintly, “Whether I was unruly or whether my existence posed an obstacle to Madam and the Second Young Lady, Madam knows perfectly well.”
After speaking, without waiting for Madam Mu to reply, Jiang Banxia loudly confessed to the Emperor Dongfeng, “Reporting to Your Majesty, I bought the Hehuan Powder. I remember two days before the Mid-Autumn Festival that year, the Second Young Lady sent someone to find me, gave me Five Hundred taels of silver, and instructed me to buy Hehuan Powder at Jiuzhentang.”
“Nonsense!”
Facing Mu Yuanlin’s roar, Jiang Banxia responded with a cold smile.
“Prime Minister, you probably don't know that any purchase at Jiuzhentang comes with a receipt. The Second Young Lady also didn't know that I kept this receipt, intending to use it for self-preservation someday, but I never expected Madam to casually find fault, have someone tie me up, gag me, and sell me directly to the human traffickers.”
After speaking, Jiang Banxia took out an old, yellowed piece of paper from her bosom.
The eunuch Gong Gong respectfully presented the receipt to the Emperor Dongfeng.
Later, Shopkeeper Zhu confirmed that it was indeed a receipt from Jiuzhentang, stamped with Jiuzhentang’s seal. The pattern was intricate and complex, making forgery impossible.
Seeing that the situation was turning against her, Madam Mu’s mind raced, and she quickly devised a plan.
“Banxia, did Ning’er tell you to say this? How much money did she give you?”
Implying that Banxia was bribed by Mu Ning.
Jiang Banxia sneered, “Madam, the Eldest Young Lady has suffered enough because of you and your son. Even now, you still want to smear her name!”
“Not Ning’er? Then who is it that made you slander Xi’er and the Mu Family like this? Ah, I know! You hold a grudge because you were sold off, so you are deliberately seeking Revenge!”
“Madam, a person leaves a name when they pass, and a goose leaves a sound when it flies; everything done leaves a trace. One dose of Hehuan Powder costs Five Hundred taels of silver. How could I, a mere servant, afford it? As for the Eldest Young Lady, she could afford it even less.”
“Although I am a servant, I still receive a Monthly salary of 500 wen. The Eldest Young Lady is the Legitimate Daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion, officially receiving a Monthly Allowance of thirty taels of silver every month. But everyone knows the Eldest Young Lady was foolish and muddled in the past. Every time she received her Monthly Allowance, it was immediately stolen by the only Maidservant attending her and handed over to the Second Young Lady.”
This happened year after year since childhood. Even though you tried every means to Conceal it, you couldn't stop gossip, and the matter still spread. In those years, because of this, you punished and sold nearly half the servants in the mansion.”
“My status is low and my words carry little weight, so perhaps no one will believe me, but if you question these people, you will know if I am lying!”
These words not only cleared Mu Ning of suspicion regarding paying Jiang Banxia to buy Hehuan Powder but also exposed the veil covering Madam Mu’s mistreatment of her Legitimate Daughter.
Although such things were not uncommon among Noble Families and influential clans, these were people with status and reputation; even if they did such things, they would leave no trace.
After Banxia spoke, the good Reputation Madam Mu had painstakingly maintained for nearly twenty years was ruined.
Madam Mu cried out that she was wronged, “Your Majesty, Prime Minister, I swear on my life, I never did such a thing. Perhaps, perhaps Xi’er was young back then and was merely playing a prank on Ning’er. It is all my fault; I failed in my discipline, causing everyone to laugh.”
It had to be said that Madam Mu’s mind was still sharp; in just a few words, she managed to frame the incident as childish mischief.
Mu Ning spoke, drawing everyone’s attention back to the main topic, “Jiang Banxia, regarding Mu Xi instructing you to buy Hehuan Powder, is there anyone else who can testify to this?”
Second update~
Please give recommendation tickets~ *kiss kiss*