Li Yaoqin returned to her room with heavy thoughts, pondering what Madam Xu had told her. She called Lian Xin over and whispered, "Send someone to discreetly investigate if Suo Xin had any contact with others before."
"Miss, you suspect..."
"Go!" Li Yaoqin felt that if her mother said it like that, it must be because her mother knew something, or had found something out.
It was very likely that mysterious person had told her mother.
Before Li Yaoqin received news from Lian Xin, that evening she received news that was enough to break her heart.
"Miss, it's bad, it's bad..."
Li Yaoqin, startled awake from her dream, looked at Yan Xin who had rushed in and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Yan Xin walked over, her expression solemn, and looked at her, saying, "Miss, the Madam's prayer hall has caught fire, and the Madam... the Madam perished in the flames..."
She couldn't even process what Yan Xin was saying, her mind went blank. After a long while, she came to, got up from the bed, and accidentally fell to the ground. Yan Xin quickly rushed over to help her up.
"Mother, Mother, take me..." Li Yaoqin felt her legs turn to jelly, unable to even take a step forward.
When she arrived, all she saw was a sea of flames. Tears streamed down her face, and she madly tried to rush in, but Yan Xin held her back tightly, "Miss, it's too dangerous, you can't go in, you can't go in..."
"Let go of me, let go of me..." Li Yaoqin struggled.
Yan Xin held her tightly, "Miss, no, no."
"My lord, Concubine Xin..." someone called out.
Li Yaoqin turned to look at Li Sinian and Suo Xin, who both looked groggy, clearly woken from their dreams.
"What happened here?" Li Sinian's expression was grim.
"My lord, this servant does not know. It suddenly caught fire here," a servant said fearfully.
"Don't know? Then what use are you people?" Li Sinian was furious.
Li Yaoqin suppressed her grief and stepped forward, bowing. "Father."
Li Sinian looked at her and said, "Yao'er, Father is late."
Li Yaoqin shook her head and cried, "Father, daughter has no mother anymore."
Li Sinian reached out and stroked her head, "You still have your father."
Li Yaoqin nodded. "How did it catch fire here?"
"My lord, someone wanted to harm the Madam..." a person, blackened with soot, ran over. He knelt on the ground with a thud.
"Who are you..." Li Sinian couldn't see clearly who was kneeling there after looking for a long time.
"This servant is Shun Xin," Shun Xin said.
"What exactly happened?" Li Sinian asked.
Shun Xin choked out, "The Madam had already gone to bed. This servant was in the outer room. Suddenly, at some point, it caught fire. This servant hurried to the inner room to wake the Madam, but no matter how hard I called, she wouldn't wake up. I shouted for help, but no one came. I tried to carry the Madam out, but the flames grew larger.
Suddenly, the Madam woke up and told me there was poison in the tea, and then she died. This servant also wanted to follow the Madam, but I knew I couldn't let the Madam die without justice, so I escaped. I am here to identify the killer."
"Who is the killer?" Li Sinian asked.
Shun Xin pointed at Suo Xin and said, "It's her."
Suo Xin froze and took two steps back, then found it laughable. "Shun Xin, I know Madam is dead, and you are very sad, but you can't falsely accuse me! I have no reason to poison the Madam! Besides, when I was here, you were all here. Miss, what do you say?"
Li Yaoqin looked at Shun Xin and said, "Tell us everything, word for word."
Shun Xin nodded. "After Madam drank the tea offered by Concubine Xin, in the evening Madam said she felt unwell. This servant wanted to call a doctor, but Madam said not to bother, no one would come."
Li Sinian heard this and said, "What does that mean?"
Shun Xin looked up, her voice filled with grief and indignation, "My lord, you probably don't know, but because Madam no longer managed household affairs, the people in the mansion fawned over those in power, and Madam's old ailments were constantly put off."
"Why didn't Mother tell me?" Li Yaoqin asked.
Shun Xin said, "Madam said that Miss was also living on thin ice, and she didn't want to cause any arguments between Miss and my lord because of herself."
"Mother, she..." Li Yaoqin choked, unable to speak a word.
"My lord, it was Concubine Xin who framed Madam. I beg my lord to give Madam justice," Shun Xin said, kowtowing.
"My lord, you must believe me. I never thought of framing Madam. She is just spouting nonsense."
"Then how do you explain the tea?" Shun Xin asked.
Suo Xin sneered, "That tea was given to me by Lian Xin. Lian Xin is the Miss's maid. If you ask me, why not ask the Miss why she tried to harm her own mother?"
Li Yaoqin heard this but did not retort. Instead, she knelt down and said, "Father, the fire at Mother's place is too suspicious. I implore Father to thoroughly investigate this matter."
Li Sinian nodded. "Alright, bring everyone involved in this matter here."
Soon, all those related to the matter stood there. Li Sinian said, "Begin!"
Li Yaoqin walked up to Lian Xin and asked coldly, "Concubine Xin, was the tea you offered to my mother prepared by you?"
Lian Xin nodded, not understanding. "It was this servant."
"My lord, look, she admitted it," Suo Xin pointed at Lian Xin.
"Why did you want to harm my mother?" Li Yaoqin asked.
Lian Xin, terrified, quickly knelt on the ground. "Miss, if you gave me a hundred dares, this servant would not dare!"
"Then tell me, why was there poison in the tea?"
Lian Xin was stunned. "How could there be poison in the tea?"
"Doctor, let the doctor examine it," Suo Xin suggested.
Soon, a doctor was brought over. He examined the cup that Madam Xu had drunk tea from and said, "A massive amount of Aconite. Even a little bit is fatal."
Li Sinian slammed his hand on the table and roared, "Such a wicked slave! Daring to poison the mistress of the household is unforgivable! Take her out and hand her over to the authorities."
"My lord, this servant did not harm Madam, no!" Lian Xin shook her head, in pain.
"Father, wait a moment..." Li Yaoqin suddenly said.
"Miss, do you want to cover for her?"
Li Yaoqin ignored Suo Xin and crouched down, looking at Lian Xin. "Why, really?"
Lian Xin suddenly said, "It was... it was Rong'er, it was Rong'er..."
"What do you mean?" Li Yaoqin asked.
Lian Xin said, "The tea was prepared by this servant, but when it was served, Rong'er touched the teacup."
"Lian Xin, are you trying to frame someone?" Suo Xin sneered.
"Father, daughter implores you to let Rong'er come here for questioning." Li Yaoqin said.
Li Sinian nodded. "Agreed."
The servant sent to summon Rong'er soon returned, but Rong'er was not behind him. Li Yaoqin asked, "Where is Rong'er?"
The servant said, "My lord, Miss Rong'er has committed suicide."