CH 98

Chapter 98 Aconitine

“Auntie! Is Chenzhou here…”

Liu Zhongming shouted at the top of his voice. Just as he hurriedly stepped over the threshold of the reception pavilion, he ducked vigilantly, dodging the oncoming tea bowl.

Bai Shilei, who was following closely behind, couldn’t dodge, and fell down with a scream.

“What the h*ll are you screaming for! Why are you panicking! I had just told your mother that you were prudent!” Madam Bai scolded angrily: “The person had just arrived yet you are chasing after him? Are you scared I’ll eat him up?!”

Liu Zhongming laid on the door frame, looking back at his cousin who was crawling up with his nose covered, his heart palpitating.

“Auntie… you are pregnant, why do you still have so much energy…”

“What’s wrong with being pregnant? It doesn’t prevent me from beating b*stards, why are you still not coming in?”

When Liu Zhongming entered the door, Qu Chenzhou put down his chopsticks and stood up, and Madam Bai involuntarily pulled him to sit down, putting a lotus root on his plate.

“Don’t mind him, eat your meal.” Madam Bai stuffed the chopsticks into his hand and squeezed his wrist: “Eat more, why are you so thin, it it because Zhongming doesn’t give you enough to eat? From now on, you can stay with me, I will feed you fat.”

Liu Zhongming was wronged, it was obvious that Qu Chenzhou was growing up, no matter how much you feed him, he won’t gain weight.

Among other things, the Chunjiang crucian carp that was sent from the south after the new year was cooked every day. Qu Chenzhou liked to eat this, but he didn’t know how to spit out fish bones. He was a dignified Shizi, but would pick out fish bones so much that his eyes were almost blinded.

Bai Shilei entered the door covering his face, put his hands down to look, and luckily his nose was not bleeding. He sat down at the table with Liu Zhongming, and glanced at the dishes.

“Mom, why are you cooking again? Didn’t father tell you to stay still?”

“What does your father know, he has never given birth before, don’t listen to him,” Madam Bai ordered glasses, dishes and chopsticks for the two of them. She turned around and picked up another chopstick of food to his side.

“The doctor said, you should move more at this time, and you will be healthy later—Chenzhou, do you like this? Eat more, and bring some back later.”

Stared at by the three people on the table, Qu Chenzhou could not eat more: “Madam… I’m full.”

Madam Bai only thought that he was afraid, and raised her chin to signal: “Zhongming, you go home first, at least let him finish the meal. After that, I will ask Shilei to take him back “

Liu Zhongming didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and believed the complaints of the Bai family brothers. The little fox really caught his aunt’s eyes. His aunt didn’t regard Chenzhou as an outsider at all. The status of the whole family in his aunt’s heart was downgraded by one.

“Madam, I’m really full…” Qu Chenzhou could only stand up again.

Madam Bai was too enthusiastic, he was fed more than usual every time, and knowing that Liu Zhongming was going to call on Mu Jingchen today, him coming here in such a hurry, he must have something to discuss with him.

“I’ll go back first, and I’ll come to talk to Madam some other day.”

Qu Chenzhou bowed, and was about to retreat, Liu Zhongming was anxious, and got up accordingly.

“Presumptuous! Sit down!”

Madam Bai scolded, and both of them sat down obediently with their heads down.

“Zhongming, Chenzhou will stay with me for the next two days. I’m bored and this child is good-looking and clever, I like him. He will be perfect to accompany me to relieve my boredom.”

Liu Zhongming didn’t want to wait for a moment, how could he wait for two days more, He immediately put on a thick skin: “Auntie, I happen to be repairing my bedroom, so please take me in for two days as well.”

Madam Bai laughed angrily, “Go back to the Marquis’s Mansion.”

Recalling her sister-in-law’s expression, her heart softened and she ordered instead: “Shilei, go get someone to clean the two rooms.”

“Wait!” Liu Zhongming hurriedly grabbed Bai Shilei: “One… one room!”

“…” Madam Bai glanced at Qu Chenzhou beside her, then asked softly, “Chenzhou, are you really full?”

Qu Chenzhou nodded lightly: “Replying to Madam, I’m full.”

“Shilei, have someone clean the two rooms, and take Chenzhou to rest first. How it will be arranged for the evening will be another matter. Zhongming, you stay here, I have something to say.”

Liu Zhongming knew that his aunt kept her word and he didn’t dare to disobey her, so he could only watch Qu Chenzhou disappear at the door, and then asked, “What’s the matter, aunt?”

“Zhongming, you should have your coming of age ceremony next year, right? ” “

“Yes.” Seeing his aunt’s solemn expression, Liu Zhongming thought that it was impossible for his aunt not to remember his age. There must be a reason for asking this question, and he had a bad premonition in his heart.

“After that, you should start a family. When you marry in your wife to enter the mansion, how do you plan to arrange Chenzhou?”

“I…” Liu Zhongming felt as if he was struck by lightning. He lived a sweet life these past days, and never thought of this problem: : “But… I haven’t planned to get married yet!”

“Even if you don’t plan to, getting married will happen sooner or later,” Madam Bai gently rubbed her stomach, perhaps because she was pregnant with a new life, her heart softened even more.

“Your mother came to see me today just to mention your marriage, and said that in a few days it will be the spring banquet. The ladies from all families will be there and she wanted me to help you take a closer look. With the status of the Liu family, the emperor may appoint a marriage.”

“Have you ever thought about what to do with Chenzhou at that time?”

“Not mentioning if the future wife or concubine will tolerate him, you know your mother’s attitude best. If Chenzhou stays with you still, I’m afraid he will lose his life.”

“He can’t go home, he’s helpless, and he was also born looking like this, even if you let him out, I’m afraid he won’t be able to live a peaceful life for a few days.”

“I really like this kid. If you think of him well, then how about getting rid of his slave status and sending him here?”

“My Bai family can spare an extra meal, we can treat him as a distant relative with a foreign surname. When he grows up, we’ll find a good girl for him. If you want to see him, you can come if you want to, and it’s okay if you don’t want to, as long as your mother doesn’t come to embarrass him.”

Liu Zhongming listened in a daze, he didn’t even have the energy to interject, his nose was full of sourness.

Just hearing his aunt speak in such an unhurried manner, it seemed that Qu Chenzhou was no longer by his side, and that the person who entered and exited with him was another person, a girl he was completely unfamiliar with.

He couldn’t stand such a life.

“Auntie! I don’t agree!” He resisted his stomach full of stagnation: “I won’t let him go either!”

Madam Bai pulled him to her side and sighed.

“Zhongming, you are still young, and you are greedy for his good looks, so naturally you don’t want to part with him. Let alone you, even if it were me, I wouldn’t part with it.”

“But he will be old and decrepit one day. Dragging him around during his best days, have you thought about what he should do in the future?”

“He can’t help himself entering a slave’s record, and he will have a long life in the second half of his life, so he shouldn’t be trampled like this.”

Liu Zhongming bit his lip and refused to answer.

“I’m not in a hurry to have you make a decision now.” Madam Bai patted his head: “Since your mother had already started arranging for your marriage, it will be next year or the year after, just think about it.” 

After sitting for a long time , she was also a little tired, and was about to call the maid to help her to rest, but Liu Zhongming caught up with her a few steps.

“Auntie!” Liu Zhongming grabbed her and blurted out a phrase.

When the words came out of his mouth, even he himself was taken aback – since when did he have such thoughts?

“Can I marry… Chenzhou and have him be my Shizi consort..”

***

Qu Chenzhou sat in the room for a while, but failed to wait for him to come; guessing that Madam Bai would not let him go for a while, he went and closed his eyes on the bed for a moment.

In fact, it was not only Liu Zhongming who wanted to find him for something, he had just met Madam Liu, and he also had doubts and worries, so he wanted to discuss it with Zhongming.

He didn’t know how long he had been asleep in a daze, when he heard the door outside the screen slam, and someone walked in slowly.

It was already dark, and there were no lights in the house, only the outline could be vaguely seen.

He sat up and called, “Shizi?”

“En.” Liu Zhongming muffled a reply, and sat down beside the bed: “Go inside.”

Qu Chenzhou hesitated.

Except for a few accidents, they have not slept in the same bed.

“Shizi, this is the Bai Mansion…would it be a good idea?”

“Aunt agreed,” Liu Zhongming didn’t go to light the lamp, and pushed him, “I have something to say, you go inside.”

Qu Chenzhou had no choice but to move inwards. Fortunately, the bed was wide enough and the pillows were long enough. He leaned on one side, and Liu Zhongming leaned on the other, pulling the brocade quilt to cover both of them.

But after waiting for a long time, he didn’t hear anything, so he asked puzzledly, “Is there something wrong with Jingchen ? He refused?” 

“No, you’re right, it’s easier to open up to Jingchen and tell him the truth. Jingchen looked more excited than expected, it seems that he had known Fang Wuyang for a long time, and had never seen him face to face.”

“But he didn’t say much about Fang Wuyang, he just asked me some questions, so I don’t know why Fang Wuyang favored him?”

The things that can’t be asked can only be discussed after the two met.

Liu Zhongming put his hands behind his head and looked at the top of the curtain: “Chenzhou, I saw a painting of words in the reception pavillion of Jingchen’s house.” “

“What word?” 

“Those who go don’t remonstrate, but those who come can be chased.”

“It’s an elder.”

“Yes, it was an elder who sent this to Jingchen. At first, I only thought that the font was familiar, but I can’t remember where I saw it,” Liu Zhongming said in a low voice: “It wasn’t until I went out and passed by the street shop that I remembered that it was ‘Nourishing Clumsiness’.”

Qu Chenzhou immediately understood what he meant: “The person who sent Jingchen’s inscription was the one who wrote the inscription for that wine shop!”

“Who could it be?” Liu Zhongming murmured: “This person, as an elder, advised Jingchen, gave wine to my father every year, and left behind the people from the Nourishing Clumsiness wine shop to help the Liu family in times of crisis, who could it be?”

“Did you ask Jingchen?”

“I asked. At that time I hurried back to ask, but Jingchen said that my father gave this calligraphy to him.”

All the clues were concentrated on one person.

Before Qu Chenzhou could ask, Liu Zhongming smiled wryly: “My father won’t say anything, is there anything you can do?”

Qu Chenzhou couldn’t help, he could divine for the future, but he couldn’t know the past.

“But no matter what the matter is,” he comforted, “this person is obviously on good terms with the Liu family. He has no intention of harming others and is a trustworthy person. Even if he can’t be found for a while, it doesn’t matter.”

He was right. Liu Zhongming wasn’t worried, it was just that he was too shocked for a moment, and he couldn’t calm down if he didn’t talk to him.

“Chenzhou, I never thought before that even the close people around me could have so many secrets.”

Qu Chenzhou smiled. When it comes to secrets, who else had more secrets than him, and who else couldn’t tell them?

“Shizi, when I came here with Shilei today, I met Madam Liu.”

“I know,” Liu Zhongming replied in a muffled voice, “We met on the street. If Shilei hadn’t interrupted us, we would have quarreled again.” 

That’s why he rushed in the door in a hurry, fearing that Chenzhou would suffer a big loss if he met her.

“I heard from Shilei that she slapped you… I’m sorry.”

“I dodged, it didn’t hurt very much.” Qu Chenzhou turned over and faced him: “It’s just… on Madam Liu’s body, there’s a not a very good divination – aconitine in the sweet snow noodles.”

Liu Zhongming’s heart skipped a beat.

Sweet Snow Noodles were sweet cakes baked with honey. It tasted like snow and melted in the mouth. Not only his mother, but almost everyone liked it.

And aconitine… kills people.

“Someone wants to kill my mother?” He spoke softly in the dark, as if he was afraid of being heard, and quickly denied: “Impossible.”

His mother was indeed not a likable person, but she came from the empress’s maternal family and was married to Marquis Anding, no one would dare to touch her easily. What’s more, he couldn’t think of a reason.

Inside, there were no concubines in the Marquis mansion, and there was no jealousy at all.

Outside, his mother can’t influence anyone, killing her life had no benefit except harming her.

“Is it possible for you to read it wrong?”

“It’s absolutely impossible.” Qu Chenzhou heard the tension in his voice, and comforted softly: “Shizi, no matter what, quietly order people to keep a close eye on Madam Liu. No matter where you get sweet snow noodles, do not eat it.”

Liu Zhongming said “Mmm” after a long time.

In fact, there were some other bad guesses vaguely in his heart. Maybe even his mother would not take that short episode into her heart—when the Danlang incident happened, his mother so naturally took out the poison…

If his malicious guess was true, then who was the aconitine prepared for this time?

His mind was a little confused, but since he had Qu Chenzhou’s divinations, this kind of thing can always be prevented, and it was his aunt’s words that upset him.

“Zhongming, the distance between you guys is too far.”

In fact, he knew it.

He knew that apart from gender and life experience that the world valued, there was also the boundary between life and death between them. On the other side of the boundary, there was someone Qu Chenzhou would never forget.

“Chenzhou,” he suddenly asked softly, “In the past…were you married?”

Qu Chenzhou’s shoulders trembled invisibly.

The author has something to say: Don’t urge, don’t urge, I’m writing, I’m writing, I’m writing every day. It’s not that the plot is progressing slowly, it’s because I have to write too much. If I write too little in the front, it will be abrupt in the back. Writing every day, foaming at the mouth, I swear that if I write another long novel, I will be a dog, woof!