C22

Chapter 22 - Poisoning

Green Pine Academy, Cloud Water Pavilion.

Yun Qianliang lazily laid on Xiang Fei's chair, holding the history record of the Wanshen in his hands. After reading through the contents once, he started flipping through the books once again, taking note of the matters related to the Gu family and the Marquis of Anguo.

There was no way for her to escape from power now. At least, if she couldn't leave before the poison was detoxified, then she would have to grasp more of the truth.

Regarding Gu Yicheng calling Marquis of Anguo his grandfather, she still didn't understand.

Gu Yicheng's mother's name was Xu Quan, but he was the adopted daughter of the Empress Dowager Yid, and both of them were nominal aunts of the Tianhui Emperor.

After betrothing her to the Gu family, a loyal subject who was the founder of the country, Empress Dowager Yid doted on this adopted daughter extremely. It was also because Empress Dowager Yid doted on Xu Quan so much that Master Gu after their marriage was as weak as a Prince Consort who had been recruited.

Not long after the death of Empress Dowager Yid, Master Gu left his hometown because of a woman.

It was just that at that time, the Wanshen was still in a state of chaos. His wife fell into the hands of the enemy, and died together with the unborn child.

There were many aristocratic families who wished to marry their daughters into the house of the Marquis. The matchmaker came to their doorstep to propose marriage several times, but all of them were rejected and only kept their wives and children's spirit tablets, vowing never to marry them. As a result, no one ever married after they aged, and even if they lived alone in the House of the Marquis of An for a long time, they would never be able to find a wife or a daughter.

How could two people of such status have such a close relationship?

Yun Qianliang shook her head, shaking off the complex reasoning in her mind, she put down the book and rubbed her tired brow.

Thinking about it carefully, this matter was still related to the imperial clan, and if one was not careful, it would bring about disaster.

Yun Qianliang got up, planning to walk around the residence to relax so that she would not have to think too much and delve into the dangerous matters.

Just as Yun Qianliang walked out of the Cloud Water Pavilion, a dirty wild cat jumped out from a corner, scaring her to the point that she retreated a few steps back and leaned against the wall.

The black cat scurried into the Cloud Water Pavilion and hid under the table, vigilantly looking outside.

"Madam, are you alright?" Qiu Yue hurried forward and carefully observed.

Yun Qianliang replied: "I'm fine."

"I have to hurry and get out of here. It would be bad if I broke something." Chun Hua looked at the Wildcat that was hiding under the table with difficulty.

The wild cat was a black cat, it had a pair of green eyes that stared fiercely at Chun Hua who was trying to move forward, which scared Chun Hua to the point that she didn't dare to move forward.

"Maybe he's hungry. Bring me some hot food." Yun Qianliang walked back into the house and squatted down to look at the shiny black wildcat. He hooked his fingers, trying to lure the cat out.

"I wonder if there will be any leftovers and soup today." Chun Hua walked outside as he thought.

Yun Qianliang moved a chair to her side and leaned on the stool with her left hand. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Shui Qin, who was in the kitchen, carrying something towards Cloud Water Pavilion.

"Chun Hua, there's no need to go." Yun Qianliang shouted and pointed to the lotus seed soup that Shui Qin brought over, "Feed it to it."

In order to complete the trick, she had to continuously replenish herself for a few days. These few days, she felt her face had turned a little round and she didn't want to eat any more of these good things.

Shui Qin walked in with the lotus seed soup, and respectfully bowed to the beautiful matriarch who was sitting in front of the table, "This servant greets Madam."

"Get up." Yun Qianliang shouted lightly.

Perhaps it had smelled the fragrance of the lotus seed soup, the black cat that was hidden under the table mewled. Before Yun Qianliang could tell the servant to find something to feed it, it had already rushed out and pounced towards Shui Qin who was holding the lotus seed soup.

Shui Qin was timid, seeing the black object pouncing towards him, she screamed, and threw the tray in her hands towards the black cat.

The black cat was clever enough to avoid the tray that was thrown at it and to land on the table. The tray that was thrown fell to the ground with a thud.

When Yun Qianliang saw the black cat jump down from the table to lick the lotus seed soup that was scattered on the ground, she was worried that it would be hurt by the broken pieces of the porcelain.

"Chun Hua, Qiu Yue, quickly clean up." Saying that, Yun Qianliang reached out her hand to grab the black cat that was completely hungry.

Shui Qin heard Yun Qianliang's voice and realised her mistake, immediately kneeling down and begging for forgiveness, "This servant deserves to die, please forgive me."

Just as Yun Qianliang's hand was about to touch the black cat, the black cat's body staggered and tilted, brushing against her fingertip.

Yun Qianliang's hands stopped moving. She stared at the black cat that had just eaten the lotus seed soup and was on the ground spitting white foam.

The black cat twitched for a moment and then stopped moving.

Yun Qianliang sat back down and said coldly, "Indeed you deserve to die."

Shui Qin probably did not expect this outcome, as she fearfully raised her head and looked at the beautiful woman who had covered her face in frost with eyes full of fear.

Seeing that her master was staring at the spot where the lotus seed soup had landed, she looked over and saw the black cat dead on the side, spitting out white foam. Her body was trembling.

"Madam, it's not that I'm a servant, I wouldn't dare to poison you even if I had a hundred guts. I plead Madam to be clear-headed." Shui Qin pleaded for mercy in fear.

"Did you personally make this lotus seed soup?" Yun Qianliang asked.

Shui Qin trembled yet again, but still answered truthfully.

"Ever since you were injured, Madam, the butler trusted this servant and handed over the tonifying soup to me. This servant has personally done all the tonifying soup that you drank, and does not dare to pretend to be her servant, but this servant really did not poison you." Shui Qin who was on her knees on the ground cried out, her head was flushed red and she looked even more pitiful.

"You get up first." Yun Qianliang sighed, "When you were making the lotus seed soup, had anyone else ever come to the kitchen before?"

Shui Qin trembled as he stood up, tears still flowing down his face. After he was reminded, he anxiously said, "Yes, Xiao Cui of Hibiscus Courtyard came over."

"Think about it and tell me what happened."

While Shui Qin was thinking, Yun Qianliang ordered her men to clean up the room, leaving the lotus seed soup and the black cat's body, waiting for someone to check the poison inside.

After Shui Qin tidied things up properly, he slowly replied.

At that time, Xiao Cui came to the kitchen and said that Warm Girl was not feeling very well recently, and wanted to go to the kitchen to find something that could replenish her body, but she was not familiar with the kitchen. She wanted to take some lilies, but she did not know where to put them. After saying that, she became anxious again, "This servant only left for a short while. I went back and forth to retrieve something from the shelf, but I didn't look at anything at that time."

Yun Qianliang pondered for a moment and made a decision.

If the people of Hibiscus Courtyard were to ask about it, they will say that you accidentally spilled the lotus seed soup. I was unable to drink it, but in the future, you will continue to cook the tonifying soup as usual, and no one will be aware of what happened today. Yun Qianliang's voice was as cold as water, his eyes were as deep as an ancient pond, and he once again warned, "Don't forget that nothing has happened today, let's go back."

"This servant will remember." Shui Qin dried her tears and carried the tray away along with the broken pieces.