These are merely ordinary pills for beauty and nourishment, not the substances used to create poison smoke or powder. Thus, the Han family was cleared of suspicion.
"Besides these, was anything else found?"
Gu Qianying asked Cai Xia. Cai Xia deliberately shook her head, but when no one was paying attention, she manipulated a hidden compartment within the black box.
Cai Xia did not take out the contents of the hidden compartment. Gu Qianying glanced at it and understood.
She deliberately frowned and said, "Nothing was found? You useless fools, what can you accomplish? Get lost!"
As she said this, Nangong Mo glanced at her. Without speaking, he offered her a faint smile.
He found his wife's act quite amusing.
Everyone assumed Gu Qianying was simply enraged because no evidence was found to prove she was poisoned, and was thus scolding her maids.
The Han family immediately breathed a sigh of relief, feeling reassured.
At this moment, the guards searching Gu Ziran's room also emerged. They had found nothing, meaning Gu Ziran's room also contained no medicinal powder for making poison smoke, nor any other items to harm people.
Thus, based solely on the words of Gu Qianying and her servants, the crowd would not believe them. It also seemed that Physician Ji Wuyi was taking orders from the Ninth Princess Consort, and might have deliberately fabricated lies.
Of course, with the supremely powerful Ninth Prince Nangong Mo present, and Gu Qianying now the esteemed Ninth Princess Consort, even if people didn't believe her, no one dared to speak further.
However, the Han family and Gu Ziran, mother and daughter, now had something to say.
"Eldest Sister, I don't know how Third Sister has offended you, for you to frame me like this. Today, even if Eldest Sister forces a confession through torture and has your people beat me to death, I will go to the Qiankun Hall as a ghost and kneel before His Majesty, begging him to bring me justice."
Gu Ziran appeared wronged and unwilling.
This caused those who dared not speak to turn their gazes towards Gu Qianying.
No one spoke, but their eyes were filled with disdain and mockery.
Was it not simply because she was the Ninth Princess Consort? Was it not simply because the Ninth Prince doted on her? To frame an innocent person, and her own sister at that, she was truly unfeeling and vicious!
Here, after Gu Ziran finished speaking, the Han family wiped their tears, and together with Gu Ziran, they staged a scene more tragic than Dou E.
The two cried with such sorrow.
Gu Qianying sat quietly, waiting for the Han family and daughter to finish their crying performance.
When the two had cried enough, Gu Qianying finally spoke, "Since you believe this Princess Consort has wronged Third Sister and deliberately framed her, yet the people by this Princess Consort's side insist that the one who poisoned this Princess Consort is you, Third Sister, then it is difficult to discern who is right or wrong. In that case, this Princess Consort can only... force a confession!"
Saying this, Gu Qianying flicked her fingers and continued, "It's because this Princess Consort is protective of her own. This Princess Consort naturally cherishes her own people and is unwilling to beat them. Therefore, guards, seize Third Miss Gu Ziran and interrogate her thoroughly right here!"
As she said this, Gu Qianying glanced at the old woman beside the Han family.
The black box that Cai Xia had searched contained a hidden compartment. The contents of that compartment were likely what the Han family feared others seeing. However, Gu Qianying was not interested in what was hidden in the compartment.
Instead, she was interested in the identity of the old woman beside the Han family.
When Gu Ziran was seized, Gu Qianying saw that this old woman was even more nervous than the Han family, her worry evident on her face.
According to her memories from her previous life, she had never seen this old woman beside the Han family. Yet, in this life, such a person suddenly appeared, making her pay close attention.
Upon hearing this, everyone was once again stunned.
Her words... left them speechless.
Gu Kun glanced at Gu Qianying and remained silent.
The Han family was choked with anger.
So arrogant and overbearing, it was truly... infuriating!
Gu Ziran was so angry she was about to spit blood!
She glared at Gu Qianying, wishing she could tear her to pieces!
"Gu Qianying... you are going too far!" Gu Ziran roared at Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying was unfazed, looking at her, "So what if this Princess Consort is going too far? What... if you are not satisfied... come and bite me!"
"You, you... you..." Gu Ziran, enraged, began to stutter.
Two guards stepped forward and grabbed her.
She was angered to tears again, and she pleaded with the Han family and Gu Kun for help: "Mother, Father, save your daughter..."
Gu Kun turned his face away.
The Han family knelt at Gu Kun's feet, crying and tugging at his trouser leg, "Master, I beg you, save our daughter."
The third son of the Gu family, Gu Yi, supported by a servant, stepped forward and knelt, clutching his chest, coughing as he spoke, "Ninth Prince, although my sister is usually foolish... she is timid and would absolutely not have the courage to poison the Ninth Princess Consort. I implore the Ninth Prince to spare my sister."
Nangong Mo looked at him coldly and simply said, "Regarding today's matter, my Princess Consort has the final say. You are asking the wrong person."
Gu Yi's body trembled violently.
"Cough, cough, cough,"
He coughed even more severely.
Facing Gu Qianying, he stood up. Although his voice was weak, his body was held straight, like a sturdy pine tree. "Qianying, Ziran can never compare to you, and she will not be a stumbling block for you in the future. Considering that she, I, and you are all of the Gu clan, I implore you to let her go."
Although he was begging, his demeanor was never that of a supplicant, especially when facing Gu Qianying.
Nangong Mo showed displeasure and was about to react, but Gu Qianying glanced at him, signaling that it was alright and she didn't mind.
Nangong Mo then calmed his emotions.
At this moment, Gu Qianying looked at Gu Yi.
When their father's tongue was cut out, her nominal third brother, Gu Yi, did not plead for their father. Yet now, he voluntarily stepped forward to plead for his own sister, Gu Ziran.
This was indeed how one acted for their closest kin.
In her past life, Gu Yi was also a man of integrity and honor. When the family declined, Gu Yi decided to use his wealth and connections, along with his status as the top scholar, to revive the family's fortunes.
Unfortunately, due to his chronic illness, this plan was not realized before he died from overwork. And this overwork was merely equivalent to what an ordinary person would do for farm labor, indicating how weak his constitution was.
Looking at his pale and weak face, Gu Qianying pursed her lips.
If Gu Yi were to continue confronting her like this, it was likely that the Gu mansion would have another death today!
She withdrew her gaze and no longer looked at him, nor did she respond to his plea. Instead, she commanded Bai Qi, "You are so noisy and bothersome. Go, gag him, take him away, and lock him in the sleeping quarters. Have Physician Ji keep a close watch on him and ensure he doesn't die."
Bai Qi was taken aback and felt immense admiration for Gu Qianying.
"Got it!"
Bai Qi walked towards Gu Yi.
Gu Yi frowned, supported by a servant, and retreated a few steps. He coughed violently in anger.
The Han family tried to step forward to stop him, but Bai Qi paid no heed. He pushed the Han family aside and, with a swift motion, grabbed Gu Yi's arm.
The servant beside Gu Yi was kicked to the ground by Bai Qi.
Gu Yi tried to struggle, but facing the powerfully built Bai Qi, he was unable to break free.
Meanwhile,
The Han family was pushed down, and the old woman beside her quickly supported her.
Her tightly clenched right hand loosened, then clenched again. She glared fiercely at Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying met his gaze, seeing his suppressed anger on the verge of exploding. She smiled and, after watching Bai Qi lead Gu Yi away, turned her gaze to the two guards holding Gu Ziran and commanded, "Don't just stand there. Hit her if you need to. Oh, and when you spank her, take off Third Sister's clothes. That way, she'll feel it properly."
Gu Kun glanced at Gu Ziran, sighed, but said nothing.
"Gu Qianying! You... I will kill you."
Gu Ziran screamed hysterically at Gu Qianying.
With a tearing sound.
Her outer skirt was ripped by a long sword.
"Gu Qianying! You... you would do this to my daughter..."
The Han family was so enraged that her vision went black, and she almost fainted. The old woman beside her supported her again, handed her over to a personal maid, and then, turning around, suddenly snatched the sword from the nearest guard and lunged at Gu Qianying!
She shouted, "Bitch, I will kill you!"