Ji Yan’an fixed a cold gaze on the two women.
“What else do you have to say for yourselves?”
The pair stared at the large black dog before them, their faces filled with terror. They opened their mouths, still trying to plead their innocence.
Shen Qingzhu offered a “kind” explanation: “Before you arrived, you probably didn’t know once this Moonflower pollen gets on something, its faint scent lingers for a very long time. And hunting dogs have extremely sharp noses.”
He walked over to Zhou Zhuzhu, crouched down in front of her, and grabbed her hand.
“Besides, you haven’t even cleaned all the Moonflower pollen from underneath your fingernails.”
His tone remained gentle, but to the Zhou mother and daughter, it sounded like a death sentence.
“What Moonflower pollen? I don’t know anything about it! I really don’t!” Zhou Zhuzhu shook her head repeatedly, and her expression looked genuine, not like she was faking.
“He what he gave me was clearly croton seed powder!”
The Zhou women had only intended to frame Chef Chen. They had never dared to actually try to kill anyone.
Her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the ground. Then, like beans spilling from a sack, Zhou Zhuzhu poured out every single detail.
Chef Chen looked at the mother and daughter with such fury it seemed she wanted to tear them apart.
Jiang Yun Sui also glared at them, cheeks puffed out in anger.
Total villains!
Uncle Li demanded sharply: “Who gave you the Moonflower pollen?”
Zhou Zhuzhu quickly answered: “It it was my mother’s cousin. He works in the outer courtyard.”
Uncle Li asked for the man’s name. It was unfamiliar to Ji Yan’an.
That meant he must be just one of the laborers doing odd jobs there; Ji Yan’an only trusted his own people with important tasks.
But the man was nowhere to be found clearly he had already fled.
Ji Yan’an commanded: “Heiwa, go after him.”
He closed his eyes briefly as he looked at the big black dog that was currently nuzzling up to Jiang Yun Sui. What on earth was wrong with this animal?
Jiang Yun Sui secretly pulled her small hand back, which had been petting the dog.
Now that it was clear neither she nor Chef Chen had anything to do with the incident, her heart settled, and her courage grew just a tiny bit.
Though it really was only a tiny bit under Ji Yan’an’s gaze, she immediately knelt straight and proper again.
Her knees were starting to ache, and she really wanted to squat down instead.
Better yet, dig a hole and bury everything from her knees downward.
As Jiang Yun Sui’s mind wandered off on wild thoughts, Heiwa was already led out to search for the man.
Ji Yan’an also issued his final judgment on the Zhou family.
Zhou Zhuzhu would be executed. Anyone who dared to put anything harmful into the food prepared for Ji Yan’an no matter what it was, or what the reason was must pay with their life.
Zhou’s mother, who had known about the plan but said nothing, would be imprisoned.
Zhou’s father and other family members were also implicated; none of them would escape punishment behind bars.
Hearing this, the faces of the Zhou mother and daughter turned ashen, and they slumped limply to the floor.
In the end, they were dragged out of the room.
Jiang Yun Sui felt no sympathy for them whatsoever.
Head Chef Zhu and the maid involved were also punished. Fortunately, they only lost a year’s worth of salary and were not dismissed.
However, Chef Zhu was reassigned and would no longer be allowed to prepare meals for Ji Yan’an.
“Chef Chen.”
At the sound of Ji Yan’an calling her name, Chef Chen trembled, overcome with nervousness. She knew she was not entirely blameless, since the Zhou family had originally targeted her.
Jiang Yun Sui looked up at Ji Yan’an with wide, hopeful eyes.
Meeting her bright, watery gaze, Ji Yan’an slowly shifted his eyes away.
“Since you are not truly at fault here, your punishment is three months’ deduction from your salary.”
Hearing this, Chef Chen let out a huge sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
Jiang Yun Sui quickly copied her gesture, bowing respectfully and calling out in a soft, childish voice: “Thank you, Your Highness!”
“Very well. You may both rise and return to your duties.”
Auntie Zhou stepped forward and spoke quietly to Chef Chen.
“Yun Sui has hurt her foot. Take her back to rest for a few days.”
Chef Chen thanked him profusely.
No sooner had they stood up than they heard a loud, vigorous bark.
Turning around, they saw several men who looked like guards marching in, holding a young servant dressed in blue robes.
The moment Heiwa entered, he ran straight over to Jiang Yun Sui, nuzzling and rubbing against her none of the fierce, imposing air he had shown earlier remained.
Ji Yan’an stared at Jiang Yun Sui with a deep, probing look.
Had she cast some kind of spell on the dog?
He was not the only one thinking this; Uncle Li and Nanny Zhou were equally astonished.
Heiwa had been brought by Ji Yan’an all the way from the capital.
The Ji family raised dogs, and quite a large number of them. These well-trained hounds proved invaluable on the battlefield and more importantly, dogs were far more loyal than any human.
Heiwa was the undisputed leader of the pack. Ji Yan’an himself had raised him from a puppy, alongside a white cat. Later, when something happened to the cat, Ji Yan’an had sent Heiwa away to live on an estate, and only dared bring him along when he finally left the capital.
Throughout their journey, Heiwa’s sharp senses had alerted them to danger, helping them evade several assassination attempts. The dog was highly intelligent, and ordinarily would not let anyone touch him no one except Ji Yan’an. Even the keeper who fed him was never allowed to lay a hand on him.
Yet here he was, practically wagging his whole body and pressing up against Jiang Yun Sui the very first time they met. It made Ji Yan’an wonder if this was even his own Heiwa.
Jiang Yun Sui obediently followed Chef Chen to leave, paying no mind to the dog who looked up at her longingly.
Just as they reached the doorway, a shrill, agonized scream rang out. Chef Chen flinched and did not dare look back.
Jiang Yun Sui, however, turned around and glanced over her shoulder.
In that instant, she saw the same dog that had been so gentle with her now transformed into a ferocious beast from hell, clamping his jaws hard onto the servant’s arm and tearing into it.
All the servants in the yard who had been made to watch collapsed in fright, their legs turning to jelly.
Ji Yan’an stood before the young man, watching dispassionately as his flesh was torn apart. Fresh blood splattered across Ji Yan’an’s face, which already bore a sickly, pale hue.
At that moment, he also looked toward the doorway, and his eyes met Jiang Yun Sui’s round, clear gaze.
To be honest, he looked terrifying just then. A cruel thought crossed his mind: would this little maid shrink back in fear at the sight of him?
Just like his own mother someone who should have been the closest person in the world, yet looked at him as if he were a monster.
But contrary to his expectation, her eyes remained bright and unclouded. There was no fear, no terror, and certainly no disgust.
Long after she had gone, Ji Yan’an stood there, still somewhat lost in thought.
A few seconds later, he slowly swept his gaze over the other servants in the yard. Every person who met his eyes paled and immediately bowed their heads.
Ji Yan’an let out a soft chuckle.
Then the laughter grew louder and louder, sounding almost wild and unhinged.
Shen Qingzhu watched him silently.
When his laughter faded, Ji Yan’an gave Heiwa a short command.
“Kill him.”
As for questioning him… ha. Who else could be so eager to see him poisoned and driven mad and who else knew that Moonflower pollen could trigger the deep-seated Dreaming Shadow Poison inside his body except for that certain person back in the capital?
At once, Heiwa opened his jaws wide and sank his teeth into the servant’s neck.
Ji Yan’an took a clean handkerchief from Uncle Li and slowly wiped away the blood that had gotten on him.
“Have hot water prepared. I want to bathe.”
“At once,” replied Nanny Zhou.
Ji Yan’an turned to leave, and Heiwa was led away to be washed as well.
The guards carried the servant’s body out in an orderly manner, while Uncle Li directed the other maids and servants to clean up the yard.
“Remember this: a person must know their place and stay honest. If you do not, his fate will be yours too.”
He used this incident as a warning to everyone present.
Uncle Li also knew that after this, the young master’s reputation would likely grow even worse. But being feared and labeled cruel was, in its own way, a form of protection for him.