As Meng Shi wept, she also deliberately touched her slightly bulging belly. Gu Kun, seeing her like this, was truly heartbroken.
Before he could speak for Meng Shi, Gu Mingyue, standing beside him, opened her mouth, "Grandfather, Concubine Yi usually respects the First Madam the most. How could she poison the First Madam?"
"Yes, Father. Although Meng Shi is a bit arrogant, she would never harm Wanting."
As he spoke, Gu Kun looked at the First Madam, "Wanting, I know Meng Shi has often been disrespectful to you. It's understandable that you resent her, but she is, after all, my concubine and has served me alongside you for many years. How could you be so heartless as to frame her?"
Based solely on the First Madam's one-sided words, Gu Kun naturally did not believe Meng Shi would harm her. Not only did he not believe it, but he also felt that the First Madam was framing Meng Shi out of jealousy.
Indeed, in the eyes of those who never cared about you, everything you do is wrong.
Gu Qianying watched Gu Kun's righteous expression and sneered inwardly.
In her past life, she remembered that before her father took concubines, he was extremely good to her mother.
At that time, other ladies in the manor were extremely envious of her mother, all saying that her mother had found a good husband. At that time, her father had even promised her mother that he would not take any concubines in this life.
But after her maternal grandfather passed away, her father no longer doted on her mother, and even treated her coldly. Not only that, but he took concubines, one after another.
This made her think of Nangong Qi's various actions towards her in her past life.
As expected, believing a man's words is like believing a sow can climb a tree; it's even laughable.
The First Madam's heart gradually grew cold as she listened to Gu Kun's words.
This was the husband she had accompanied for many years!
Heartbreak!
"Father, what your daughter-in-law says is true. If Father doesn't believe it, your daughter-in-law has evidence and witnesses to prove that she did not falsely accuse Meng Shi."
The First Madam spoke as Gu Qianying had taught her.
Witness and evidence?
Old General Gu looked at her, "Who is the witness? What is the evidence?"
The First Madam glanced at Gu Qianying, and Gu Qianying nodded at her.
Reassured, the First Madam called out towards the door, "Granny Wang."
Granny Wang, along with Dong Mei, came forward. The two knelt in the center of the main hall.
Seeing Dong Mei enter, Meng Shi was somewhat flustered. However, upon remembering that Dong Mei's family's lives were still in her hands, her momentary panic turned into calmness.
Little did she know that Dong Mei's family had already been rescued from Meng Shi's grasp by the people Granny Wang had brought.
Dong Mei and Granny Wang knelt on the ground, heads bowed, not daring to speak, waiting for Old General Gu to question them.
Old General Gu did not know whose maidservant Dong Mei was. As he was about to inquire, Meng Shi preempted him, "Old Master, Sister resents and hates me, but this concubine-slave will not blame Sister. I beg Old Master not to punish Sister."
Meng Shi seized the initiative, first giving Old General Gu the false impression that she was the "victim."
She firmly believed that Dong Mei would not betray her. The moment she saw Dong Mei, she suddenly remembered the task she had entrusted to Dong Mei.
If Dong Mei succeeded, then in no time, the First Madam would suffer unbearable abdominal pain and miscarry.
Motherwort can promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, which is a great taboo for pregnant women.
At that time, the situation would inevitably be chaotic, and no one would be able to deal with the current situation. Therefore, before that, she had to make everyone believe that the First Madam was framing her out of resentment.
Furthermore, as long as they delayed until the First Madam miscarried, her scheme of poisoning and framing the First Madam for infertility would be self-defeating.
Thinking of this, Meng Shi secretly gave Gu Mingyue a look.
Her intention was for Gu Mingyue to continue to plead her innocence, thereby delaying time.
However, things did not develop as she had imagined.
Gu Mingyue quickly understood Meng Shi's intention. Just as she was about to continue pleading Meng Shi's innocence, Gu Qianying immediately intercepted her and introduced to Old General Gu, "Grandfather, Dong Mei has served my mother for many years. Although she is outwardly a person from my mother's courtyard, her true master behind the scenes is Concubine Yi. Many years ago, Concubine Yi instructed Dong Mei to poison my mother with Yi Xin powder, causing my mother to be weak and like a cripple for many years, having to rely on medicinal soup daily.
And just last night, after Granddaughter spread the false news that Mother was pregnant, Concubine Yi again handed over a few taels of motherwort to Dong Mei, intending for Dong Mei to poison my mother again. And this Dong Mei is the witness, and the motherwort in her hand is the evidence."
Gu Qianying's words were like a bolt from the blue for Meng Shi.
Meng Shi never expected that Gu Qianying would know everything about the task she had assigned to Dong Mei yesterday.
At the same time, she also knew that years ago, she had instructed Dong Mei to poison the First Madam with Yi Xin powder.
How could Gu Qianying have known these things if Dong Mei had not confessed?
Could it be that Dong Mei had truly turned traitor?
Did Dong Mei disregard her family's lives?
Meng Shi pretended to wipe her sweat and, when no one was paying attention, quickly took out the item belonging to Dong Mei's family and showed it to Dong Mei.
She had always been cautious when employing people.
Instead, for those she had used, she would first investigate who else was in their family. For those who handled important matters for her, she would monitor their families and keep items belonging to their families, so as to threaten those people in times of crisis.
But Meng Shi never expected that Dong Mei would not be nervous because of the item in her hand.
Instead, after Gu Qianying finished speaking, she kowtowed heavily to Old General Gu and confessed, "Old Master, what the Eldest Miss says is true. This servant is indeed Concubine Yi's person. Yesterday, after the Eldest Miss released the false news of the First Madam's pregnancy, this servant went to report to Concubine Yi. Concubine Yi gave motherwort to this servant and asked her to poison the First Madam."
As she spoke, Dong Mei took out the motherwort from her sleeve and offered it with both hands.
Yesterday, after she met with her family, she learned that all these years, Concubine Yi, fearing she would turn traitor, had been monitoring her family's whereabouts and had even threatened her family with her life not to leave the capital.
She did not know where the motherwort came from. She only knew that the Eldest Miss had arranged for her to meet her family and had taken good care of them, promising that as long as she spoke as the Eldest Miss said, her life and her family's lives would be saved.
"No, impossible! My mother didn't do this. Why are you, this lowly servant, falsely accusing my mother?"
Gu Mingyue, after a moment of shock, disregarded the rules of hierarchy and rushed forward, slapping Dong Mei fiercely across the face.
Dong Mei endured several slaps, and blood appeared at the corner of her mouth from Gu Mingyue's beating.
Gu Mingyue grabbed Dong Mei's hair and was about to hit her again when Gu Qianying, who had rushed over, caught her hand, "Enough! How can you, a concubine-born daughter, be so presumptuous in front of Grandfather!"
Gu Qianying pushed Gu Mingyue to the ground, then looked at Old General Gu and said directly, "Grandfather, the truth of the matter is clear. I beg Grandfather to uphold justice for Mother!"
Old General Gu was furious, "Good heavens, Meng Shi! How dare you poison the mistress of the household! Guards, seize Meng Shi and send her to the authorities!"
"Father, this is absolutely not permissible! Although Meng Shi is guilty, she is carrying a child of the Gu family. She absolutely cannot be sent to the authorities."
Sending Meng Shi to the authorities, to be punished for a concubine poisoning the mistress of the household, would result in imprisonment if no death occurred, even if it wasn't a capital offense.
How could Gu Kun bear to let Meng Shi go to jail?
Moreover, Meng Shi was carrying his child!
"If she is not sent to the authorities and not punished, then Father thinks that the matter of my mother being poisoned by your concubine will just be let go?"