“What? Did that girl really say that? My lord, I know I shouldn’t speak out of turn, but Miss Xia has already admitted her mistake regarding Young Master Sun. Now that she’s been poisoned, can you truly stand by and watch her die without lifting a finger?”
As expected, as soon as the words of the two maids, Wanchun, fell, Madam Liu’s face darkened with displeasure. Seeing Mu Zhenfeng sitting there, his expression equally displeased, she softened her tone and looked at him.
“How could Xia have been poisoned? I find this rather unexpected.”
Hearing Madam Liu’s words and recalling what she had done to him, Mu Zhenfeng, though allowing her to remain in the marquis’s residence, thought of the poison in his own body. Although the pill given by Wanqing had temporarily eased the tightness and pain in his chest, he still kept a backup plan in mind. If Wanqing’s medicine proved ineffective, he could use this opportunity to pressure Madam Liu into handing over the antidote. That was why he had temporarily spared her. Despite his simmering hatred for her, he feigned curiosity and questioned her further.
“My lord, this is all my fault. I failed to teach Xia properly, leading her to commit such an unforgivable act against you. The child was so consumed by remorse that she repeatedly kowtowed to beg for your forgiveness, but you ignored her and refused to pardon her. In despair, she swallowed poison in an attempt to take her own life, my lord.”
Madam Liu, hearing Mu Zhenfeng’s cold inquiry about their beloved daughter’s poisoning, looked at him with a face full of guilt. As she spoke of her daughter’s condition, she lifted her sleeve to wipe away tears.
“You know how to use poison, don’t you? Surely, if you have poison, you must have the antidote?”
Though Madam Liu’s expression was filled with remorse and appeasement, the cunning and calculation in her eyes were unmistakable. Mu Zhenfeng, who had previously overlooked it, now found her increasingly frivolous, deceitful, and sinister. Despite sharing concern for their daughter, he pressed further.
“I—I do know how to use poison, but that doesn’t mean I know how to cure it. I truly have no antidote for this poison, my lord. You must understand—Xia is our daughter, the apple of our eye. If I had the antidote, wouldn’t I have given it to her already? My lord…”
Madam Liu, noticing the rare suspicion in Mu Zhenfeng’s gaze, faltered slightly but still looked at him with hopeful eyes, her voice tinged with grievance as she addressed him.
“Fine. If that’s the case, and Qing’er refuses to help, then I’ll go to her myself.”
Madam Liu’s demeanor left Mu Zhenfeng deeply skeptical, his gaze probing as he studied her. Recalling the sight of his beloved daughter in her room—her face ghastly pale, unconscious and unresponsive—he sighed and stood up to leave.
“With our daughter’s life at stake, I won’t let you feign indifference.”
Filled with anxiety, he hurried off to find Wanqing, unaware that the moment he left, Madam Liu’s expression turned icy as she watched him go.
“Father, what brings you here? Did Madam send you to find me?”
Wanqing had just returned to her room and was settling Chunlan and the others into their new roles when Wanchun announced Mu Zhenfeng’s arrival. Surprised by his uninvited visit, Wanqing received him cordially. As Mu Zhenfeng entered and sat down, she had Honglian serve him tea and cut straight to the point.
“I—Qing’er, I know Madam Liu’s actions have been despicable, even unbelievable. But now your elder sister—she’s lying there unconscious, her face deathly pale. I know you resent Madam Liu for what she did to your mother. So do I. But your sister shares your blood. Won’t you—?”
Wanqing’s direct question left Mu Zhenfeng at a loss. Pleading with her, he appealed to their familial bond.
“Fine. I’ll go see her—for your sake, Father. But let me be clear: if Madam Liu tries anything underhanded again, don’t blame me for teaching her a lesson.”
Though tempted to refuse, Wanqing relented, remembering she still had questions for him. As she stood, she noted the relief on Mu Zhenfeng’s face but didn’t soften her warning.
“Alright, alright. Consider this your old father begging you. Will you go see your sister now? The longer we wait, the worse it might get—”
Wanqing’s bluntness and warnings left Mu Zhenfeng helpless. Here he was, a father reduced to pleading with his own daughter. But with his eldest daughter’s life hanging in the balance, he had no choice.
“Very well. Honglian, fetch my medicine box. Chunlan and Xiazhu, come with me. The rest of you, stay here.”
Seeing her father’s desperation, Wanqing reluctantly agreed. She instructed Honglian to prepare her medical supplies and motioned for Chunlan and Xiazhu to accompany her.
“These maids—Qing’er, are they newly purchased from outside? They—”
Mu Zhenfeng couldn’t help but notice the extraordinary bearing of the maids. Their demeanor and movements suggested formidable skills—something his own household lacked. If he had subordinates like them, would he still fear Madam Liu and the Grand Preceptor behind her?
“They were sent by Prince Ning to protect me. Let’s go.”
Noticing the envy and confusion in Mu Zhenfeng’s gaze, Wanqing smiled faintly and led the way.
“Ah, I see. No wonder—”
Her answer dashed Mu Zhenfeng’s hopes. Realizing they were Prince Ning’s people, he sighed inwardly but followed her without another word.
“You’re finally here! Qing’er, hurry—come see your sister!”
When Wanqing and Mu Zhenfeng arrived at Mu Wanxia’s room, Madam Liu, who had been feigning worry, rushed out eagerly at the news of their arrival. She reached for Wanqing’s hand, urging her forward.
“Madam, we’re hardly on such familiar terms. And what I choose to do is none of your concern. Didn’t you say her life was in danger? Why the delay?”
Wanqing coldly sidestepped Madam Liu’s approach, noting the faint green glow between her fingers—another attempt at poisoning. Maintaining her aloof demeanor, she brushed past Madam Liu, ignoring her feigned distress, and entered the room.
“Qing’er, your sister—she—”
As Wanqing approached the bed, Madam Liu and Mu Zhenfeng followed closely. Before Mu Zhenfeng could speak, Madam Liu interjected with an ingratiating smile.
“I dislike interruptions while diagnosing. If you continue to chatter, I’ll walk away. If you want my help, learn some restraint. Otherwise, don’t blame me for any misdiagnosis or wrong prescription.”
Madam Liu’s audacity—poisoning her one moment and pretending innocence the next—infuriated Wanqing. Though tempted to silence her permanently, she held back, glancing at Mu Wanxia’s pallid face and her father’s pleading eyes. With a cold glare, she silenced Madam Liu and focused on taking Mu Wanxia’s pulse.
To be continued.
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