Consort Fang was not adept at concealing her emotions, so everyone could clearly see the expression on her face.
She was clearly thinking of something.
Consort Fang glanced at Yun Zhu with a complex expression. Yun Zhu lowered her head.
Consort Fang continued, "I suddenly felt like having some pastries, and I only learned from Yun Zhu that the Princess Consort had sent some novel pastries to A'mo the other day. That's why I sent Yun Zhu to Kangping Courtyard."
Consort Fang did not particularly like pastries. Although she found the few she had yesterday quite good, she hadn't developed a fondness for them. The rest had been given to the servants.
It was Yun Zhu who said that they had eaten pastries from Kangping Courtyard and should offer a reward. Only then did she send for Yin Zhu.
The tea and pastries were personally delivered by Yun Zhu. Not long after Yin Zhu finished eating, she fainted.
Consort Fang seemed to understand something.
Wang Qingyao, seeing Consort Fang's intention to shield Yun Zhu, stopped wasting words and spoke directly, "Regardless of why Mother suddenly wanted pastries, Yin Zhu fainted in your courtyard. This means the person who administered the poison is from your Jingwu Courtyard. Mother, shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
Wang Qingyao looked at Consort Fang, her face ashen.
Consort Fang, knowing she was in the wrong, said, "I will give you, and Yin Zhu, an explanation."
Wang Qingyao smiled, "With Mother's words, I am relieved."
She turned to look at Yin Zhu and announced loudly, "Yin Zhu, return to Kangping Courtyard and instruct them that from now on, anyone from our Kangping Courtyard coming to Jingwu Courtyard is not allowed to touch a drop of water or a grain of rice."
Yin Zhu responded loudly, "Yes."
Consort Fang's face turned crimson.
Wang Qingyao left with her people. Xiao Yun, walking at the rear, looked at Yun Zhu and said, "You are my mother's savior. I am willing to give you three chances. This is the second. One more time, and I will directly expel you from the Ding'an Prince's manor!"
Yun Zhu's face turned pale.
Consort Fang, filled with disappointment and a hint of confusion, asked, "Why is it the second time?"
She looked at Yun Zhu, her expression gradually becoming stern, "Is there anything else you are hiding from me?"
Yun Zhu knelt down in a panic, her mind racing. She didn't understand what Xiao Yun was referring to, so she feigned ignorance, "This servant does not understand what His Highness is saying?"
Consort Fang looked at Yun Zhu, then at Xiao Yun, and asked, "A'yun, have you misunderstood something?"
Xiao Yun's cold gaze swept across Yun Zhu's face, and he uttered five words: "Mushroom silver thread noodles."
Yun Zhu felt as if struck by lightning, her face turning even paler.
No wonder Wang Qingyao disliked her. No wonder she could sense deep hostility from Wang Qingyao.
No wonder Wang Qingyao had made another bowl of noodles and sent it to Jingwu Courtyard that day!
So they already knew!
All the doubts from that day were resolved.
But how did they know?
Clearly, no one had noticed...
Yun Zhu frowned, utterly perplexed.
When Xiao Yun mentioned the mushroom silver thread noodles, Consort Fang naturally thought of the bowl of noodles Wang Qingyao had personally made for her that day.
Wang Qingyao had made another bowl before Yun Zhu returned.
This itself was peculiar, although Wang Qingyao had provided a plausible explanation at the time.
Consort Fang tried to recall. She remembered that Yun Zhu had ended up eating the first bowl herself...
Could there be some hidden reason?
She looked at Yun Zhu.
"Yun Zhu, what exactly is going on?" Consort Fang rarely got angry with Yun Zhu, but this time, there was clear anger in her tone.
Large beads of sweat dripped from Yun Zhu's forehead, falling onto the floor and seeping into the tiles.
Her mind was in chaos, and she couldn't speak.
She had always believed she was in control, brave and resourceful, manipulating everyone at her fingertips.
She never expected to have been seen through long ago.
It felt like being naked and exposed for a long time.
Her face flushed with embarrassment.
Xiao Yun, however, was not concerned with Yun Zhu's dignity and allowed the mistress and servant to converse privately.
He directly said to Consort Fang, "She had originally hidden beef in the noodles..."
Consort Fang looked at Yun Zhu in astonishment.
Yun Zhu moved her lips, wanting to explain, but didn't know what to say.
The trust she had spent so much time and effort building with Consort Fang crumbled at this moment.
Xiao Yun then leisurely departed.
Consort Fang looked at Yun Zhu, who was kneeling on the ground, with heartbreak and asked weakly, "Why did you do it?"
She didn't ask if she had done it, only why.
Consort Fang had already concluded that she was responsible.
If Xiao Yun had revealed the matter of the beef noodles earlier, Consort Fang would never have believed it.
But now, with Yin Zhu's incident preceding it, and Yun Zhu's current demeanor, Consort Fang, seeing it all, had no reason not to believe.
Yun Zhu lowered her head, sobbing softly. When she looked up again, her face was streaked with tears.
"Your Ladyship, Your Ladyship..." she cried, "The Princess Consort was disrespectful to you. I merely wanted to vent your anger so that you could rightfully reprimand her about the beef."
Normally, Yun Zhu's words would have convinced Consort Fang. But this time, for some reason, Consort Fang frowned slightly.
Was it really like that?
"What about Yin Zhu's incident? Why did you do that? Do you know how serious the consequences would be if Yin Zhu was found guilty? You were trying to kill her!"