Chapter 47: Detaining the Qian Couple

Chu Xi stared in a daze at Qian Mengyun, whose eyes were swimming with tears and blazing with anger at her. Qian Mengyun puffed out her round cheeks, putting on an expression of desperately shielding the Dowager; anyone who saw her would be deeply moved.

"Miss Chu, what on earth is going on here? The Dowager's condition was already improving, so how could she have been poisoned for no reason in less than an hour?" Steward Zhao stood up and asked.

It was only at this moment that Chu Xi was struck by a sudden realization: it turned out to be a trap set by Qian Mengyun, and she had foolishly walked right into it.

"It wasn't me, I didn't do it." At this very moment, all the servants and maids in the room were staring at her, and even Mammy Wang could not help casting a suspicious look her way.

Indeed, just as Qian Mengyun had said, everyone in the General's Estate knew that the Dowager disliked her and was bent on driving her out of the estate, making her the prime suspect here.

Right now, Chu Xi was filled with profound regret. She had originally only wanted to keep Qian Mengyun here so that the Dowager could see her true colors, never imagining that she would be inviting a wolf into her house and harming herself.

"Young Miss! Young Miss!" Caiping and Wang Mu rushed over upon hearing the news.

Caiping grabbed Chu Xi in a tight embrace and cried out, "Since the Dowager fell gravely ill, our Young Miss has been tending to her day and night without rest, and her condition was just beginning to improve. Now, less than an hour after this Qian Mengyun stepped inside, the Dowager has been poisoned. It is perfectly clear who the poisoner is!"

Wang Mu stood guard at their side, his eyes filled with fierce indignation as he said, "Our Young Miss would never commit such a vile deed. Today, if anyone dares to lay a hand on her, I will fight them to the death."

Just at that moment, a pageboy came from outside to report, "Steward Zhao, people from the Marquis's Estate have arrived, saying they are here to take Miss Qian back."

Steward Zhao frowned and pondered for a moment, then said, "Miss Qian may return home, but the couple of the Qian family must be detained here."

Qian Mengyun, standing nearby, was stunned upon hearing this. "Steward Zhao, what is the meaning of this?"

A sharp glint flashed in Steward Zhao's eyes as he stared straight at Qian Mengyun. "The Dowager is currently at death's door. All this old servant can do is ensure that the perpetrator does not escape justice."

"Someone come, report this to the authorities immediately."

"Understood." A pageboy acknowledged the order and immediately turned to rush off and report the crime.

Qian Mengyun's heart sank. "My parents have never even set foot in this room. On what grounds are you detaining them?"

Steward Zhao glared at her. "Miss Qian, the people from the Marquis's Estate are still waiting outside."

Qian Mengyun turned her head to look at Chu Xi. "The real culprit is right before your eyes, yet you detain my parents instead. Steward Zhao, are you deliberately shielding her, or are you an accomplice?"

Caiping glared with fury. "Qian Mengyun, stop spitting venom! Steward Zhao, do not let her leave."

Steward Zhao had no wish to let her go, but at present, they lacked evidence, and she was the deeply cherished adoptive daughter of the Marquis's Estate. Since people from the Marquis's Estate had just arrived to take her back, detaining the Qian couple as hostages was his only option.

Qian Mengyun glanced at Madam Mo on the bed, who was currently receiving acupuncture and being forced to swallow water by the imperial physicians. She guessed that the old woman had only a slim chance of survival. Right now, Steward Zhao seemed to have already grown suspicious of her; this might be her only opportunity to escape, and she could not afford to entangle herself any further.

With this thought, Qian Mengyun flicked her sleeve and walked out briskly, followed closely by Xiaoyu.

As she walked, Xiaoyu lowered her voice and said in her ear, "Young Miss, the people from the Marquis's Estate asked me to pass along a message, saying that if the two elders of the Qian family continue to help the Young Miss make such a scene, they will not be polite."

Hearing this, Qian Mengyun's expression grew even uglier. Her naturally pretty, round face was pulled so long it was distorted.

The two of them hurried to the front hall. Qian Mengyun attempted to take the Qian couple away with her, but there was already no trace of the two of them here.

Xiaoyu reminded her, "Young Miss, we had better hurry back. The Marquis and his wife have already learned of this matter and are furious."

Qian Mengyun sneered, "They merely feel that I have ruined the reputation of the Marquis's Estate; when have they ever genuinely planned for my future? If not for that, why would I have had to resort to such desperate measures? Since we are not related by blood, how could they truly care for my well-being? Just look at how they treat Chu Yong—now that is what true birth parents look like."

Xiaoyu did not dare to say another word, praying only that they could quickly get out of the General's Estate, as involving the authorities was no laughing matter.