She refused to marry.

Xiao Xuanjing stepped back and dodged.

Su Wanwan lay sprawled on the ground, writhing in pain. "Your Majesty, if the Su family breaks with the Princess, who will ultimately benefit?"

Su Wanwan felt something tearing her blood vessels and muscles, and then she spat out a mouthful of blood.

Xiao Xuanjing took another step back with a sullen face, distancing himself from her.

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, feeling that the woman's dying words made some sense.

Moved by compassion, the old woman quickly ordered the female physician to come forward and treat the patient.

A moment later, Su Wanwan was able to sit up and catch her breath, leaning against a long table.

Even though Fengchen Jun already knew who the murderer was, he still sent people to search the women.

The women below were all taken to the inner room, where they took off their clothes and were examined one by one by the matrons.

The old woman found a bottle of aphrodisiac, and the guards roughly dragged the maid carrying the drug behind a screen.

Then, from behind the screen came the sounds of a rough interrogation and a maid's pleas for mercy. The voices grew softer and softer, and after a few sobs, they suddenly fell silent.

The commotion startled the women outside, who huddled together and trembled.

"Miss... Huan Cui, she..." The maid of the Shen family trembled and swayed.

"What's there to be afraid of? It's just an inspection..." Shen Qingrong twisted the handkerchief tightly with her fingers.

Su Wanwan drank the herbal soup brought by the physician, suppressing the pain in her chest.

She made thorough preparations today, but underestimated Feng Chenjun.

At the age of twenty, Feng Chenjun returned from the frontier with outstanding military achievements. He entered the capital and rose from the rank of Lieutenant General to become the youngest Grand Secretary. His methods and cunning were extraordinary.

I only met him once today, and he seems to have seen through everything. It would take luck to fool him.

Feng Chenjun's gaze fell on her, and in the instant their eyes met, they each understood the other's message.

Su Wanwan lowered her head and coughed guiltily.

Feng Chenjun stood up, drew a long sword from the scabbard at the waist of a guard beside him, turned to look at Su Wanwan, and said, "From today onwards, if you harbor any more intentions to harm me, your fate will be the same as hers..."

Su Wanwan knelt down with a thud. "Your Majesty, please do justice! I know who the murderer is."

Xiao Xuanjing placed the sword on her shoulder. "Speak!"

"It's the Shen family," Su Wanwan said, pointing to Shen Qingrong.

"How could it be her?" Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Shen Qingrong was also startled!

Even if she wasn't guilty of murdering the eldest princess, anyone associated with it would be severely punished, if not killed.

"You're talking nonsense!" Shen Qingrong was furious, her beautiful face instantly contorted in anger.

"Your Majesty, the Su family is highly regarded by Her Highness the Eldest Princess, which makes the Shen family jealous. I believe the Su family will never have a chance to rise again."

She poisoned my drink, and the medicine bottle in my sleeve was slipped in when I wasn't looking during our struggle.

Su Wanwan's breathing was disordered; after speaking loudly, she was already out of breath.

This was during her fifteenth incarnation when she discovered that the Shen family had traded this poison on the black market.

"Believe it or not, I'll tear your mouth apart!" Shen Qingrong stood up angrily, glaring fiercely at Su Wanwan.

"You're spouting nonsense! Your Su family only got to where you are today thanks to the support of our Shen family. And now, you dare to bite the hand that feeds you! Believe me, my father will report this to the authorities and have your Su family exiled."

Xiao Xuanjing's eyes flashed.

Shen Qingrong was so frightened that she knelt before the emperor. "Your Majesty, I only misspoke just now. I dare not do that."

"Your Majesty, we can send someone to investigate whether a lame man bought a Western Region poisonous spider in the West City black market last night. The venom comes from the spider."

Who else could be the lame man with a mole on his face who could enter the black market, besides Steward Liu from the Shen family?

Su Wanwan spoke loudly, which made her chest ache, and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty, the steward did indeed go to the black market yesterday, but only to present the Southern Moon Pearl to the Princess. He didn't buy any poisonous spiders. She's lying." Shen Qingrong was so anxious that her hairpins fell in disarray.

"Is it true? We'll find out soon enough." Xiao Xuanjing sheathed his sword, waved his hand, and a group of guards left.

A short while later, the guards who had searched the banquet returned and whispered their report to Feng Chenjun.

Upon hearing this, Feng Chenjun's face darkened and turned ugly.

Half an hour later, the guards ran back to report, "Your Majesty, a lame man did indeed go to the black market yesterday and bid on the Southern Moon Pearl. There has been no feedback regarding the Poison Spider. I just went to the Shen family, but Steward Liu was not at home. I have already sent people to apprehend him."

"Oh, really?" Xiao Xuanjing looked at Su Wanwan. "You tell me."

"Your Majesty can check the Southern Moon Pearl." Su Wanwan suppressed the surging emotions in her heart.

It's just one step away.

Feng Chenjun seemed to see through her tricks at a glance, but he just wanted to see how long she could keep it up.

"Why bother checking the beads? Once the steward returns, everything will be clear." Shen Qingrong looked completely innocent.

"What if Steward Shen flees to escape punishment? I saw you apply a layer of powder to the South Moon Pearl with my own eyes. Once it's worn and pierced, the consequences are unimaginable." Su Wanwan pointed to the tribute in the distance.

"You're lying again! Su Wanwan, how heartless you are! If I had known this would happen, my father shouldn't have introduced your father in the first place."

Shen Qingrong glared at Su Wanwan, wanting to tear her to pieces.

She turned and knelt before Xiao Xuanjing, "Your Majesty, even if you gave me ten times the courage, I would not dare. Please, Your Majesty, investigate..."

Xiao Xuanjing lowered his head, and a smell similar to poison entered his nostrils.

He used a dagger to lift Shen Qingrong's hand, sniffed it, and then looked up instantly!

The dagger in her palm pierced Shen Qingrong's heart.

"ah!!"

The women were so frightened that they closed their eyes and backed away, but dared not escape from the Flowing Water Pavilion.

They could only watch helplessly as Shen Qingrong collapsed to the ground, blood flowing everywhere.

"Drag him away." Xiao Xuanjing wiped the blood from the dagger with a handkerchief. "Give him a proper burial."

He turned around and walked up to Su Wanwan, using the back of his knife to lift her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"The Princess's residence has always been inhabited by capable people. Su family, do not disappoint me."

Su Wanwan clutched her chest in terror, goosebumps rising on her back, and beads of sweat suddenly appeared. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Your Highness, this matter is strange, we should find out more about it," the old woman whispered to the princess.

The princess raised her eyebrows, and the nanny stood up and walked to Su Wanwan.

"Miss Su, please come over."

Su Wanwan's body trembled slightly as she tried to keep her voice steady. "Yes."

Don't panic.

The more panicked you are, the more like a guilty thief.