Chapter 166: The Truth

Leng Qing Yu carefully thought about what Lu Ting En had said.

He did make sense.

If only one bowl of water was problematic, how could Xin Ran have accurately chosen the problematic one?

She turned her gaze to Ye Xin Ran.

But Ye Xin Ran bowed to her and said, “What the Marquis said is exactly what I was thinking. If Madam allows, I would like to check the water for any issues.”

“Alright, go ahead and check!” Leng Qing Yu said.

Ye Xin Ran stepped forward, picked up a silver needle, and this time, instead of pricking her finger, she dipped the needle’s tip into the water and carefully smelled it.

As Ye Xin Ran expected, besides a faint smell of blood, there was also a hint of datura flower.

Upon smelling this, a slight smile appeared on Ye Xin Ran’s lips.

It was exactly as she had guessed.

The juice of the datura flower can prevent blood from mixing. She hadn’t expected that someone here knew such medical knowledge.

After confirming her thoughts, Ye Xin Ran turned back and said, “Earlier, Marquis Lu mentioned that if the water in the bowl was problematic, how could I have so accurately chosen the problematic bowl?”

“That’s indeed a bit suspicious.”

“Yeah! How could it be so coincidental? If someone tampered with the water, what if they dropped something into the other bowl first? Wouldn’t that have backfired?”

The crowd whispered among themselves.

Ye Xin Ran continued, “Perhaps the problem isn’t with the bowl of water itself?”

“Not with the bowl of water? Then where is the problem?”

“Yeah, we were all watching closely, no one made any moves.”

Ye Xin Ran looked at Marquis Lu. “Marquis, if I’m not mistaken, you should have two needle pricks on your fingers, right? One of your fingers should have been coated with the juice of the datura flower in advance, and now, the wound should have a slight dark discoloration.”

“Huh?”

Even though Marquis Lu held a prominent position, the crowd couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

The one who cheated was actually the Marquis?

“Marquis Lu, could you extend your fingers so everyone can take a look?” Ye Xin Ran asked again.

Marquis Lu remained silent.

Lu Zhi Yi stood up.

“Ye Xin Ran, how dare you accuse my father!”

Since you entered this courtyard, my father and I have always treated you with respect.

Even when you made excessive demands, we never said anything. But now, how dare you slander my father by accusing him of cheating?

What a joke!

It seems like you must be desperate to get into the Marquis’s house!”

Ye Xin Ran remained unperturbed. “Since you claim to be upright and proper, it’s just a finger. What’s there to hide?

Is the Marquis’s finger made of snow, that it would melt if someone looks at it?”

Lu Zhi Yi was fuming. “Ye Xin Ran, don’t go too far. Someone, throw this disrespectful person out!”

As soon as Lu Zhi Yi gave the command, several servants moved toward Ye Xin Ran.

“I dare anyone!”

Xiao Huai’an stood by Ye Xin Ran’s side, lifting his hat slightly and casting a glance at the approaching servants.

The servants immediately froze, their backs chilling as they felt an overwhelming sense of danger.

They weren’t covert guards, and this man clearly wasn’t someone to provoke. No one dared to make the first move.

Just as they were caught in a dilemma, Leng Qing Yu spoke. “Let’s see who moves!”

Upon hearing Madam’s voice, the servants felt as if they had been pardoned.

It was a relief that Madam had spoken, and now they could retreat with justification.

The servants of the Marquis’s household knew the hierarchy well. In the Marquis’s household, the people you could never offend were the Marquis and his wife.

Madam was the wealth-bringer of the Marquis’s house, offend her, and they would never see their wages again!

Seeing Leng Qing Yu had cleared the servants, Lu Zhi Yi immediately approached and hooked her arm.

“Mother, are you angry?”

Her voice was timid. “I didn’t mean to target Miss Ye, it’s just… she was disrespectful to Father, and I was just so upset that I…”

“Zhi Yi, you’re usually sensible, so I won’t say much more.”

Leng Qing Yu’s tone grew stern. “Let’s leave things as they are today. I hope in the future, you don’t make decisions on my behalf or your father’s.”

For all these years, Leng Qing Yu had never spoken to Lu Zhi Yi so coldly.

After hearing Leng Qing Yu’s words, Lu Zhi Yi’s eyes immediately turned red.

“Mother, I understand!”

She glanced at Marquis Lu and reluctantly nodded before stepping back a few paces.

Leng Qing Yu then turned to look at Marquis Lu.

“Marquis, you said we should clarify things today. It’s just a matter of looking at the finger, surely you won’t refuse, will you?”

Lu Ting En’s expression changed.

He looked at Leng Qing Yu, his face filled with disappointment. “Qing Yu, we’ve been married for more than ten years. Now, are you really going to ask me for an explanation because of an outsider?”

Leng Qing Yu felt shaken when she saw the Marquis’s expression.

For all these years, what she feared most was seeing the Marquis disappointed in her.

In the past, whenever the Marquis showed this kind of expression, Leng Qing Yu would always back down.

But now, even when faced with the expression she had once dreaded the most, Leng Qing Yu still said firmly, “It’s just a matter of looking at the finger. When did the Marquis become so petty?”

Leng Qing Xin was rarely able to see her sister stand so firm against the Marquis, and she felt pleased. She also spoke up, “Brother-in-law, you’re a grown man, not some delicate lady. Why are you being so shy about this?

Could it be that there’s really something wrong with your finger?”

She deliberately used these words to provoke him.

To her surprise, Lu Ting En, after hearing this, turned around in anger. “Nonsense, all nonsense! Go and bring me fresh water. I want to test it again!”

“Marquis, don’t be hasty.”

Taking advantage of his turn, Ye Xin Ran quickly grabbed the Marquis’s hand.

Several guards saw this and immediately moved toward Ye Xin Ran.

But before they could get close, they suddenly felt a sharp pain in their knees, as if they had been pricked with needles. In an instant, they all collapsed to the ground.

Ye Xin Ran, swift and quick, took the opportunity to flip the Marquis’s palm over. At the tip of his index finger, a small black dot immediately became visible.

“Marquis, you’ve really been harsh on yourself!”

Ye Xin Ran smiled lightly. “This mandala flower is toxic. Be careful, the poison could seep into your blood, and it might be incurable.”

As Ye Xin Ran moved, Leng Qing Yu and Leng Qing Xin both saw the black puncture mark on the Marquis’s finger.

Though they had their doubts, seeing the truth left Leng Qing Yu staggering back a step. “Marquis, did you really tamper with this? Why… why would you do such a thing?”

Lu Ting En, now that his scheme had been exposed, no longer seemed as nervous as before.

He scanned the room.

The servants saw this and quickly withdrew.

Only the four members of the Lu family, Ye Xin Ran, Xiao Huai’an, and Leng Qing Xin remained in the room.

Lu Ting En then slowly spoke, “Xin Ran, it’s not that I don’t want to acknowledge you, there are just circumstances that I couldn’t avoid.”

Ye Xin Ran sneered. “Oh? I didn’t expect that!

Marquis, why don’t you tell me, what circumstances are so difficult that you can’t even acknowledge your own daughter?”