She opened her mouth only to start coughing again, this time more violently, unable to stop for a long while.
Nanzhi immediately said, "Marquis, Madam probably cannot drink it now. Perhaps we should set it aside for later."
"It must be drunk while hot; it's no good when cold." Song Lingxiao appeared somewhat anxious.
But Shen Qingqing's coughing wouldn't cease, making it impossible for her to drink.
"We can reheat it when Madam is ready to drink. This servant will not let Madam drink it cold, Marquis, please rest assured." Nanzhi, noticing Shen Qingqing's deliberate coughing, played along.
Seeing that Shen Qingqing truly couldn't stop coughing, Song Lingxiao didn't insist and set the bird's nest soup aside.
"Then make sure to heat it for Madam later. Do not neglect this. As long as I am here, this Marquis Manor is still under Madam's authority!"
Shen Qingqing sneered inwardly. Had he come to pacify her after learning of the day's events? She had expected him to come demanding answers, but she had only punished Nanny Liu. Had it been Yang Wanqing, his reaction would likely have been different.
The current Song Lingxiao still had to coax her, for he needed the support of the Shen Family. Without the Shen Family, the so-called Yong'an Marquis Estate would be an empty shell, destined to decline soon.
Although Song Lingxiao was already a Recommended Man, he had failed the imperial examinations several times and planned to try again next year. In her view, he would still fail.
He possessed petty cleverness but lacked diligence, unwilling to delve deeply into his studies.
"Marquis, are you uncomfortable staying in Qinmian Hall? Would you like to return here to sleep?" Shen Qingqing asked hoarsely.
"No, no, I'm quite comfortable there." After saying this, he seemed to realize his words were inappropriate and added, "Your health is what matters. We must wait until you recover. As a man, I can sleep anywhere."
As he spoke, he reached out to embrace her. "You must get better quickly. These past few nights, I've slept poorly worrying about you. Look at the dark circles under my eyes."
Indeed, there were dark circles under his eyes, and they appeared somewhat swollen.
But this was definitely not due to losing sleep over concern for her. It was likely the result of unrestrained indulgence with Yang Wanqing.
She pushed him away. "Marquis, you should keep your distance. It would be bad if my illness passed to you."
As if struck by a thought, he immediately stood up and moved away from the bed.
"Passing the illness to me wouldn't matter, but I fear it might affect the children. Their constitutions are weak, and if they fall ill, recovery won't be easy." He fabricated a plausible excuse.
"Then, Marquis, you should go out for some fresh air." Shen Qingqing urged him to leave.
Drop dead! The sight of you disgusts me!
After he left, she looked at the bowl of bird's nest soup and felt almost certain of her suspicions, though confirmation was still needed.
"Nanzhi, I'll need you to make another trip tomorrow. Have the physician examine this bowl of bird's nest soup."
"Madam, do you suspect the Marquis?" Nanzhi covered her mouth after speaking, horrified by her own conjecture. How could the Marquis harm Madam?
The Marquis had pursued Madam for marriage, and the two had been deeply in love, with three children together.
"He used to bring me a bowl of bird's nest soup every single day without fail. The poison I've been given is slow-acting. If it wasn't him, then who?" A slow-acting poison required accumulation to a certain dosage to completely destroy her health. That daily bowl of bird's nest soup—she had once thought it was love, but it turned out to be a death warrant!
"Let's confirm it with the physician first."
Nanzhi was momentarily at a loss for words. If the Marquis had indeed poisoned her, it would be like the sky falling.
How could Madam possibly maintain her position in the Marquis Manor?
But why would the Marquis want to harm his wife?
**
Early the next morning, Nanzhi went to the physician's clinic and waited a while for it to open.
"Miss Nanzhi, why are you here so early?"
"Please check if there's pokeweed in this bird's nest soup." Nanzhi placed the bird's nest soup in front of the old physician, her expression urgent.
She didn't want to find pokeweed in the soup, yet if it wasn't there, it would be even harder to trace who had poisoned her mistress. Her heart was filled with anxiety.
The old physician carefully smelled the soup and had his apprentice heat it up.
After it was heated and brought back, he smelled it again.
"There is indeed pokeweed in this bird's nest soup."
Nanzhi nearly lost her balance, immediately grabbing the corner of the table for support. She felt as if she had been plunged into an ice cellar.
Was it really the Marquis who poisoned his wife?
No wonder the Marquis insisted that Madam drink it, and while it was still hot.
She gave the old physician a silver ingot. "Please don't speak of this matter to anyone."
"Don't worry, miss. This concerns a patient's privacy. I would never disclose it."
After thanking him, Nanzhi wandered distractedly through the streets, her mind in turmoil. She nearly bumped into someone.
"Sorry, I…"
"Nanzhi, what's wrong with you?"
"Second Young Master!" She looked up and realized it was the Shen Family's Second Young Master, Shen Jingshuo.
"Has something happened? Has my little sister been wronged at the Marquis Manor?" Seeing Nanzhi's distraught appearance, Shen Jingshuo immediately assumed that Shen Qingqing had been mistreated.
Nanzhi didn't dare speak carelessly and quickly composed herself to reply. "Madam fell into the water recently and hasn't been well. I came out to get medicine for her."
"Fell into the water? How could she fall into the water in such cold weather?" Shen Jingshuo found it strange.
"Second Young Master, Madam said she would visit the Shen Family residence soon. She'll explain everything to you then." She was afraid that saying too much might disrupt her mistress's plans. Both of Madam's brothers were extremely protective—if they learned the Marquis had poisoned her, they might directly draw their swords and kill him!
Shen Jingshuo frowned in thought for a moment before saying, "Go back first. Tell Qingqing that Mother misses her. I'll send a carriage to fetch her this afternoon."
"I'll remember that, Young Master."
Nanzhi hurried back to the Marquis Manor but encountered Song Lingxiao's servant, Sixi, at the entrance.
"Miss Nanzhi, why did you go out so early in the morning?"
"Madam has no appetite. I went out to buy some sweets she likes." She had indeed bought some pastries on her way back, precisely to avoid suspicion.
Sixi looked Nanzhi up and down with a smile. "Miss Nanzhi, you always take such good care of your mistress, but you must take care of yourself too. You look rather pale—you're the prettiest maid in our manor, after all."
Meeting Sixi's gaze, Nanzhi immediately felt uncomfortable, sensing a hint of aggression. She offered a perfunctory reply before returning to the main courtyard.
"Madam."
Shen Qingqing was having breakfast. Seeing Nanzhi's pale face, she knew the answer.
Nanzhi nodded to her.
Even though she had been mentally prepared, the confirmation still felt like a knife twisting in her heart. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, making it impossible to hold her chopsticks steady.
The most terrifying thing in this world is when the person who wants to kill you is the one who shares your bed.
"By the way, I met Second Young Master on the way. He noticed I seemed unsettled and asked a few questions. I didn't dare say much, only mentioned that you fell into the water and haven't been well."
"Second Young Master said he would send a carriage to fetch you this afternoon."
Hearing about her family, Shen Qingqing felt a warm current flow through her heart.
"Hurry and pack. We'll stay overnight at the Shen Family residence."
Nanzhi was surprised, "Are we staying overnight at the Shen residence?" Since getting married, the lady had never stayed overnight at her parental home, mainly because it was also against the rules.
"Now that I'm no longer managing the household, staying overnight at my parental home isn't a problem," Shen Qingqing said calmly.
"Nanzhi, remember not to show anything in front of the Marquis from now on," she cautioned. If they were to break off relations now, she felt it wouldn't be meaningful, and there were still some things she hadn't figured out.
After hesitating for a moment, Nanzhi asked, "Madam, are we not getting a divorce?"