Chapter 309: Saffron

Chapter 309

Ning Si thought she was still worrying about the child, and comforted with a smile, "A Ying, don't worry. The doctor said Nian is fine. Our Nian has great fortune and fate, and will surely be blessed in the future."

Gu Ying carefully placed her hand over her slightly bulging belly, her thoughts racing, silently sorting through the ins and outs of the recent Yueyang plague outbreak in her mind again.

It was not a simple matter for Jiang Yin to poison the river water. The Jade River was wide and had a large flow, coming all the way from the source and passing through the entire Yueyang City. Not to mention the river water would dilute the toxicity of the poison, even if the commoners used it to cook, it would gradually weaken the potency. How did this "poison" end up spreading in Yueyang City?

Then there were people secretly spreading rumors among the already physically and mentally fragile patients that this was divine punishment of Yueyang, making stories based on the previous Nine Yin and Nine Yang sacrifices.

His intention was simply to force her and the Eldest Prince to yield to the pleas of the commoners and sacrifice themselves.

Hmph, he thought it would be so simple. She and the Eldest Prince would not resign themselves to fate so easily.

"A Ying?" Ning Si saw that Gu Ying did not speak for a while, pulled her hand over and patted it with increasing worry, "Are you still bothered about the sacrifice? I know they are shameless... Ai, not to mention this happening to you, even I feel chilled. But A Ying, don't worry. I have decided to ask Grandfather to find a way to send you away directly."

Gu Ying came back to her senses, the corners of her lips raised slightly, "Don't worry Ah Si, I won't leave the Eldest Prince behind."

Ning Si wanted to persuade her further when Yin Lan brought the medicine over and said gently, "Mistress, I and Huai An watched the doctor brew this medicine. Drink it while it's hot and your stomach won't hurt anymore." Yôur favorite stories at novelhall.com

Gu Ying took the medicine bowl. Her lips had just touched the rim when she suddenly spat the medicine out.

Yin Lan asked anxiously, "What happened?"

Gu Ying frowned, looking up with lowered eyes, "There is safflower in this medicine."

Safflower was used to induce abortions. How could such a medicine appear in pregnancy-protecting medicine?

Yin Lan panicked, "What? But I watched it being brewed with my own eyes—"

Gu Ying knew Yin Lan was loyal to her and sneered coldly. Since there were no traitors among them, the culprit must be an outsider. "Yin Lan, look flustered and worried after one incense stick burns, and call Huai An and Cousin over. Remember not to alert the enemy."

Yin Lan nodded heavily.

Gu Ying half-squatted in front of Zhu Yulou, the corners of her lips raised amusedly. "I know you're different from Jiang Yin. You have a wife and a concubine at home, three sons and two daughters, and an elderly mother seriously ill. If you don't confess everything, my Qilin Army Captain Huai won't show you mercy."

Zhu Yulou's face turned deathly pale, completely crestfallen.

"I'll... I'll confess everything..."

Gu Ying sneered and forced the poison out of him before ordering Huai An to keep the man under strict watch.

After obtaining the poison, she found several reliable doctors from the medicine room and had them secretly develop an antidote.

Three days later, Gu Ying opened the gate of Qingjiang Manor, promising all Yueyang citizens that she would perform the sacrifice with her Nine Yin constitution.

She would have people build the altar in seven days. The sacrifice would take place on time after seven days.

Someone asked, "What about the Eldest Prince? When will he return?"

The corners of Gu Ying's lips twisted mockingly. "Rest assured, neither I nor the Eldest Prince will be absent."

Finally at ease, everyone returned to their sickbeds to await the sacrifice in seven days. They still believed that as long as someone was willing to make offerings to the deities, the gods would retract their punishment of Yueyang City and the plague would pass.

There were much fewer commoners outside Qingjiang Manor after she agreed to the sacrifice, but quite a few were still anxious, fearing that she would secretly escape, so they lingered nearby.

Huai An had the Qilin Army brothers disguise themselves as commoners to patrol the vicinity and heightened vigilance.

Gu Ying personally drew up the blueprint for the altar and sent Zhou Yan to supervise its construction.

With the Eldest Prince absent from Yueyang City those days, Gu Ying had become everyone's mainstay. The grateful commoners would leave food, flowers for blessings, peace charms and such at the manor gates.

Looking at those things, she only felt irony—forcing her and the Eldest Prince to their deaths while also being thankful and deferential, such an ignorant yet pitiful scene made one's heart turn cold yet sympathetic.

Li Yang's face was full of disdain. "You're not actually unafraid of death? You think that just because you agreed to the sacrifice, Zhao Changdu would be willing to accompany you to death? You think too simply of men. He is the Eldest Prince of Zhenguo Duke Manor and also the Commander of the Imperial Guards. In the future, he will inherit the duke manor, enjoying glory and wealth with a promising future ahead. How could a mere girl like you decide for him? Gu Ying, you overestimate yourself."