While still in a daze, the cook was brought to the hall, his hands bound by two burly men. Upon seeing Zhuang Shiyang, he immediately cried out, “Master, I’ve been wronged! I didn’t poison the food, I know nothing about this!”

Zhuang Shiyang just glared at him viciously and ordered his servant: “Drag him out and beat him until he confesses!”

The cook, a middle-aged fat man, turned pale with fear upon hearing this and immediately kowtowed for mercy. But as he bowed his head, something golden fell from his chest. Mother Li, who stood beside Madam Zhou, quickly picked it up and examined it: “It’s a woman’s gold hairpin.” She ran to Madam Zhou’s side and said, “Mistress, this hairpin seems too expensive for ordinary maids…”

Han Yan immediately understood – this play had been carefully orchestrated. Concubine Mei was in trouble now. Turning her head, she saw Concubine Wan staring intently at the hairpin in Mother Li’s hand, her face as white as paper.

The doctor arrived quickly. Madam Zhou hurriedly laid Zhuang Yushan on the room’s couch. The doctor checked her pulse, and Zhuang Shiyang anxiously asked, “How is Yu’er?”

The doctor was a middle-aged man, but Han Yan noticed his shrewd gaze. He bowed to Zhuang Shiyang and said, “Sir, don’t be alarmed. The Young Lady has been poisoned, which is causing the stomach pain. Fortunately, she only consumed a small amount. I’ll write a prescription, and after taking two doses of medicine and resting for two days, she should recover.”

Zhuang Shiyang hastily ordered someone to fetch the medicine and asked the doctor to examine the plate of white rabbit pastries. Being from a large household, any doctor would understand something about such matters. After hesitating briefly, he broke open the pastry and sniffed it, frowning as he said, “I’m afraid there’s quite a bit of poison in these pastries.”

Zhuang Shiyang understood. He had someone pay the doctor and dismissed him. Han Yan noticed that as the doctor left, he exchanged a meaningful glance with Madam Zhou.

After the doctor left, Zhuang Shiyang returned to the hall and had the cook, who had just received twenty strokes, dragged in. In a deep voice, he asked, “Now tell me, who ordered you to poison the pastries?”

The cook, though a servant, had always been well-fed and cared for and had never experienced such suffering. After twenty strokes, he was barely conscious, blood trickling from his mouth as he said, “Master, I’ve been wronged. I didn’t poison anything.”

Madam Zhou quickly stepped forward, appearing distressed: “You didn’t poison anything? Then why did the doctor say there was something wrong with the pastries? And what about that gold hairpin in your clothes? Someone must have bribed you – how else could a servant obtain such a thing?”

Zhuang Shiyang fixed a sinister gaze on the man below: “Speak! Who gave you that hairpin?”

The cook cried out in protest: “Master, I truly don’t know! It was Xing’er, Concubine Wan’s maid, who gave it to me, saying it was a reward for my hard work.”

Mother Li narrowed her eyes: “That hairpin is worth several dozen taels of silver. For a mere servant, that’s far too generous a reward. Don’t try to smear Concubine Wan!”

Han Yan had been standing aside watching events unfold, and she saw Zhuang Qin biting her lip hard while Concubine Wan was so pale she seemed about to faint.

Zhuang Shiyang turned to Concubine Wan and coldly asked, “Is this your hairpin?”

“Yes, Master, it is mine,” Concubine Wan answered with difficulty.

Meanwhile, Madam Zhou sensed something was wrong. She had already bought off people in Furong Garden and knew Concubine Mei’s plans, so she had turned the scheme back on her. But how had the hairpin become Concubine Wan’s?

She grew somewhat anxious. Concubine Wan was soft-natured and could be dealt with later – the priority now was to bring down Concubine Mei. So she advised, “Master, I see Sister Wan is kindhearted and has always been good to Yu’er. There must be some misunderstanding – perhaps someone is using her.”

Han Yan narrowed her eyes, her gaze falling on Concubine Mei, who now appeared relaxed – clearly, she had known about this all along.

“How did your hairpin end up with a servant?” Zhuang Shiyang looked at this wooden woman, barely containing his fury.

“I lost the hairpin several days ago,” Concubine Wan replied tearfully, her expression appearing genuine.

“Bring Xing’er here!” Zhuang Shiyang ordered coldly.

Xing’er was Concubine Wan’s maid. When she was brought in, she was terrified and bloodless. At this moment, the cook, who had been insisting on his innocence, suddenly shouted, “It was her! That day she said the Lady appreciated my dedication to cooking and rewarded me with this hairpin. I was delighted to receive it and… and eagerly wanted to ask its value, so I left the kitchen. Only she was there! She must have poisoned the pastries!”

Han Yan’s eyes flashed with mockery – moments ago he had been pathetically speechless, and now he suddenly changed his story. This blame-shifting was brazenly obvious!

Zhuang Shiyang raged, “Is what you’re saying true?”

The cook spat out blood before replying, “I wouldn’t dare lie to Master.”

With a “crash,” Zhuang Shiyang smashed his teacup in anger and looked viciously at Concubine Wan: “At this point, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Despair flashed in Concubine Wan’s eyes. She looked incredulously at the cook sprawled on the ground, then at Zhuang Shiyang, before suddenly closing her eyes.

Then came a “thud” as Zhuang Qin fell to her knees: “Father, it couldn’t have been Mother! If she truly meant to poison anyone, why would she leave a gold hairpin to incriminate herself? Besides, Mother has never fought for anything… Father!” Her small face was covered in tears, but if one looked carefully, hatred could be seen in her eyes.

Han Yan sighed inwardly. Concubine Wan had been made a scapegoat. Madam Zhou was focused on bringing down Concubine Mei, but Concubine Mei had planned and redirected the blame to Concubine Wan. In the end, their scheming had punished the most innocent person.

Zhuang Shiyang knew Zhuang Qin’s words made sense – he understood the character of everyone in his household. Though Concubine Wan wasn’t favored, she had behaved properly for many years without incident. He could hardly believe she would now try to poison his daughter. However, Zhuang Qin’s words challenged his authority as head of the household, which displeased him greatly: “Stop defending her! She’s just a lowly concubine – who does she think she is!”

Zhuang Qin’s body trembled, but she bit her lips hard and knelt ramrod straight, showing no sign of backing down.

Han Yan felt pained, experiencing a sense of shared suffering. Zhuang Han Ming had already left, citing his studies at the Imperial Academy, and Han Yan was glad he didn’t have to witness this ugly scene.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Shiyang quickly thought through the situation. He knew today’s events were suspicious and likely orchestrated by someone else. In the household, Han Yan and her brother were too young, and Concubine Wan was too mild-mannered – only Concubine Mei was likely to have stirred up trouble. Though he was annoyed, he was reluctant to punish Concubine Mei, having favored her for so many years and still desiring her body. More importantly, he needed Concubine Mei to balance the household’s power dynamics and prevent Madam Zhou from becoming too dominant.