Old General Gu, upon hearing of food allergies, immediately asked Lu Zhu, "What has Qianying eaten recently? It actually caused a food allergy!"
Lu Zhu recounted everything Gu Qianying had eaten in recent days. When she mentioned the plum blossom fragrant cakes, she particularly elaborated on how many times and how diligently the cook had delivered them to the Garden Pavilion.
Although Old General Gu had spent many years fighting on the battlefield, he was not entirely ignorant of the power struggles within a household.
After hearing Lu Zhu's account, he immediately dispatched men to surround the Garden Pavilion from all sides and brought the cook in for questioning.
The cook seemed to have a prepared statement. Kneeling on the ground, she tearfully pleaded, "Old Master, in broad daylight, this servant is being wronged! It was the young lady who ordered me to make more plum blossom fragrant cakes. This servant merely followed orders and truly did not harm the young lady."
The cook claimed she was wronged.
Old General Gu did not believe that there were no elements of conspiracy in the entire affair. Regardless of how the cook cried out her innocence and grievances, he directly ordered her to be dragged out and beaten, and thoroughly interrogated.
Furthermore, he ordered the plum blossom fragrant cakes that the cook had been delivering daily to be brought up for the physician to examine.
The physician broke off a small piece of the plum blossom fragrant cake, sniffed it, and after repeated examination, stated, "Reporting to Old General Gu, this cake has a significant amount of osmanthus powder added..."
Before the physician could finish speaking, the First Madam, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief, burst into tears, "My daughter is allergic to osmanthus."
The physician understood the implied meaning and did not dare to be too explicit. He merely said, "If an allergic person consumes a large quantity of the allergen, it can cause red rashes all over the body, rapid breathing, and damage to the internal organs. In severe cases, it can be fatal."
The First Madam knelt at Old General Gu's feet. Upon hearing the physician's words, she cried even more intensely, "Old Master, someone must have intended to harm Qianying. This daughter-in-law implores Old Master to seek justice for Qianying."
*Clang!*
Old General Gu violently slammed the teapot on the table onto the ground.
In his rage, he pointed at the cook, who was kneeling on the ground, too terrified to speak, and roared, "Drag this wretch away and beat her to death! Interrogate her thoroughly. I want to see which blind, idiotic dog dared to be so audacious as to poison my granddaughter!"
As the cook was dragged away, she was petrified.
Dozens of blows from the plank fell upon her, tearing her skin and flesh, causing her to cry out in pain.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she confessed everything: "It was Emerald! Emerald told me to add osmanthus powder to the plum blossom fragrant cakes that the young lady often ate. She only said it would cause the young lady to be disfigured by an allergy. This servant did not know that osmanthus powder could kill someone, Old Master, this servant is wronged!"
As the cook finished speaking, her body went limp, and she fainted.
Old General Gu shouted at the steward behind him, "Why are you still standing there like an idiot? Hurry and arrest that wretch!"
At this moment.
In the Yangchun Pavilion.
Gu Mingyue, in a good mood, was tending to a pot of crimson flowers in the courtyard. The petals, as bright as snow, fell in a few pieces under her pruning, their shapes somewhat unsightly.
However, she paid no mind and patiently trimmed away the杂枝叶 (miscellaneous branches and leaves).
She had heard that Gu Qianying, that slut, had been fiddling with flowers and plants a few days ago, which she found rather pathetic.
What Gu Qianying, that slut, could do, she naturally could do as well.
Were they just a few flowers and plants? What difficulty could that be?
However, Gu Qianying, that slut, would likely not be in the mood to fiddle with flowers and plants these days! After all, with a face full of red rashes and looking utterly hideous, it would be a miracle if she didn't cry herself to death. What mood would she be in to show off?
Thinking this, Gu Mingyue's mood improved further. She tossed the small scissors in her hand, turned around, and picked up the handkerchief handed to her by Emerald to wipe her hands. She said, "Go to the small kitchen and make some dishes that I like to eat, then invite my mother over to dine with me. Today, this young lady is in a good mood and wants to spend some time with my mother."
"Yes, Second Young Lady."
Gu Mingyue threw the handkerchief into Emerald's hand.
"Miss, this handkerchief..."
"It's a gift for you. Take it."
"Thank you, Miss, for the reward."
Taking advantage of her young lady's rare good mood, it was most appropriate to ask for some rewards.
Just as the two of them turned to go inside, the steward of the manor, accompanied by young servants, arrived and surrounded Gu Mingyue and her maid, Emerald.
"Second Young Lady, please stay."
Gu Mingyue was startled, her face showing displeasure, "What do you want?"
"Second Young Lady, Old Master has ordered this servant to arrest Emerald, the culprit who poisoned the Eldest Young Lady!"
As he finished speaking, the steward immediately had two young servants seize Emerald.
Emerald burst into tears, "I did not poison the Eldest Young Lady. Why are you arresting me? Miss, Miss, please save this servant."
Emerald being arrested was something Gu Mingyue had not anticipated. As she rushed forward to intercept, her mother, the Second Concubine, who had arrived in a hurry, immediately stopped her.
"Mingyue, do not be rash."
Gu Mingyue pulled at the Second Concubine and asked, "Mother, didn't we frame Gu Yumei, that little slut, to make her and Gu Mingyue fight like dogs? Why has someone close to me been exposed?"
A few days ago, when she had sent Emerald to do something, she had specifically disguised herself as a maid from Gu Yumei's side to meet the cook at the Garden Pavilion. The expected outcome of this entire affair was that Gu Mingyue would be disfigured, and Gu Yumei would take the blame.
Even if Gu Yumei wanted to betray them, her mother had a contingency plan.
The maid punished by Gu Yumei that day was, on the surface, obeying Gu Yumei, but in reality, she was someone her mother had placed.
Originally, Gu Yumei intended for that maid to work in the kitchen and get acquainted with the person who previously served Amber in the Garden Pavilion.
Then, she would instigate Amber to seek revenge and sneak into the Garden Pavilion to find an opportunity to poison Gu Qianying. Regardless of whether the poison was administered or not, Amber would be the perfect scapegoat.
And all of this would have no connection to their Yangchun Pavilion. This entire plan would not involve Gu Yumei, nor would it have any connection to her and her mother.
Although the entire plan was flawless, she and her mother decided to seize this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, using the incident of Gu Qianying's allergic disfigurement to eliminate Gu Yumei as well.
To this end, her mother had instructed the maid, who was falsely punished by Gu Yumei that day, to implicate Gu Yumei at the critical moment. If things went awry, they would simply follow Gu Yumei's plan.
But who knew that the steward would arrest Emerald, who was by her side? Why was that?
"Mother, could Gu Yumei, that little slut, have truly betrayed us?"
If not for betrayal, how could they have been implicated in the allergic disfigurement incident?
The Second Concubine pulled Gu Mingyue towards the main courtyard. As they walked, she said, "Regardless of whether Gu Yumei, that little slut, betrayed us, at this crucial moment, self-preservation is the best course of action. Daughter, you don't need to feel regret. Emerald is, after all, just the life of a lowly maid. Her life is lost, so be it. Does my daughter understand?"
Gu Mingyue nodded. She did not consider Emerald's life to be of any importance. Her main concern was whether this trouble would be detrimental to her.
The Second Concubine and Gu Mingyue arrived at the main hall. They did not reveal themselves immediately but listened at the entrance for a moment before entering.
Emerald, dragged inside, saw Old General Gu seated in the main hall. She was terrified and knelt on the ground, trembling all over, her head bowed, daring not to speak.
Old General Gu threw an inkstone at her and roared, "Wretch, quickly confess truthfully! Tell me, who ordered you to poison the Eldest Young Lady?"