“Sister-in-law, trust Shuang’er!”
Xu Chahua’s eyes welled with tears. Su’er was such a sensible child—how could he endure such a great calamity?
“My Su’er…”
Min Ruolan silently wept beside him. At this moment, Lan Shuang had already picked up the silver needles, carefully inserting them into Lan Su’s body.
Watching this, Min Ruolan felt even more heartbroken.
A quarter of an hour later, Lan Laofuren cried out in surprise, “Su’er’s complexion is improving!”
The lips that had just turned blue were slowly returning to a normal color.
Min Ruolan covered her mouth in excitement, tears and snot streaming uncontrollably.
Lan Su’s brow had relaxed considerably, and the pain seemed to have lessened.
Lan Shuang lightly pricked the tips of his fingers with the silver needles, and black drops of blood fell.
“Black blood?!!”
Xu Chahua’s eyes widened in shock. She had never seen anything so terrifying.
“It’s poisonous blood,” Lan Shuang explained briefly before continuing the bloodletting.
She pricked each finger, one by one, and Min Ruolan’s heart ached as she watched her child suffer.
“Why wasn’t it me who got poisoned?”
Min Ruolan wished she could take her son’s place and bear the pain herself.
Fortunately, Lan Su’s condition was improving. He slowly opened his eyes. “Mother…”
“Su’er…”
Min Ruolan held him in her arms, feeling a sense of relief as if she had just recovered something precious.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Lan Laofuren looked at Lan Shuang deeply.
It seemed her granddaughter’s medical skills were even better than she had imagined.
“Su’er, what did you eat or drink just now?”
For Lan Shuang, finding the source of the poison was also important; otherwise, the whole family could be poisoned again.
“I drank the water from the kitchen,” Lan Su said weakly, leaning against his mother for comfort, his body trembling slightly.
“Sister-in-law, cover Su’er with thick blankets.”
Lan Shuang quickly headed to the kitchen, and Xu Chahua and Lan Laofuren immediately followed.
In the kitchen, Lan Shuang tested everything with her silver needle. The results were shocking—not only the tea, but even the water in the cistern had been poisoned.
“What kind of maliciousness is this!”
Xu Chahua, timid and frightened, burst into tears. Her face was pale with fear.
“Shuang’er, I didn’t see anyone enter the kitchen… who could have done this?!”
She didn’t understand, but Lan Laofuren did. She let out a long, quiet sigh.
“I thought he might have a shred of mercy… but in the end, he wants to wipe us out completely.”
“His Majesty?”
Xu Chahua felt weak all over, holding onto the wall just to keep herself upright, her voice trembling.
“What… what should we do?”
“From now on, everything we eat, wear, and use must be handled with extreme care. Anything that enters our mouths must be tested for poison,” Lan Shuang said.
She handed each of them a silver needle, her eyes flashing with intense hatred.
That damned emperor!
If you have no mercy, then don’t blame me for being ruthless!
“Everyone, follow Shuang’er’s instructions.”
Lan Laofuren, who had finally regained some composure, now felt it slipping away again. She said sadly,
“Even staying alive now is difficult!”
“Grandmother, the more they want us dead, the better we must live,” Lan Shuang said, her mind already planning.
Min Ruolan, who had just arrived at the kitchen doorway, had heard everything. Her face was filled with anger.
“Our Lan family has risked our lives for the Great Liang royal family, and this is the result?”
“Keep your voice down.”
Lan Laofuren looked up at the thatched roof. “There may be ears listening from next door.”
“Grandmother, I want to go back to my natal home and take Su’er there to avoid further danger.”
Min Ruolan didn’t mind hardships for herself, but she couldn’t imagine what she would do if something happened to Su’er.
She would surely go mad!
“Ruolan, you’re too trusting of people,” Lan Laofuren said, stopping herself mid-sentence. If the Min family could at least protect Su’er, that would be a relief.
“I understand, Grandmother. Any glimmer of hope, I don’t want to miss it,” Min Ruolan said firmly.
“Then I’ll escort you and Su’er back,” Lan Shuang said. She couldn’t bear to see Min Ruolan disappointed but worried about them being bullied.
“Thank you, Shuang’er,” Min Ruolan said sincerely. If it weren’t for her younger sister, there might not have been time to fetch a doctor.
“We’re family—no need to be polite,” Lan Shuang replied.
Before leaving, she gave Xu Chahua some instructions. “Second Sister-in-law, if you’re afraid, take Grandmother to a crowded place before we return.
Don’t eat or drink anything handed to you carelessly.”
Since the emperor had secretly poisoned them, it was clear he wanted a good reputation and wouldn’t act openly in front of many people. He wanted their disappearance to remain subtle.
“I understand, Shuang’er,” Xu Chahua said, terrified, but thinking of her unborn child, she forced herself to be strong. Her child had not yet seen this bright world—she had to ensure it was born safely.
They didn’t have much luggage, so Min Ruolan carried the weakened Su’er and left Xu Family Village directly.
On the way, Lan Shuang and she took turns carrying Su’er. By noon, they finally arrived in the city.
Min Ruolan’s father was the Minister of Ceremonies, responsible for national rites and music. With the new emperor’s enthronement, he had been extremely busy.
So when Min Ruolan returned to the Min residence, her father was absent, and the household servants looked at her with complicated expressions.
“Eldest Miss, I will first inform Madam,” a servant said.
“Very well,” Min Ruolan replied.
Her throat was dry and sore. Previously, when she returned, she had been treated like a distinguished guest; now, she was met with coldness.
The two of them stood outside the Min residence with Su’er, watching as a Min family concubine was warmly welcomed back into the household.
Min Ruolan felt a pang of bitterness, her voice hoarse.
“Shuang’er, I’ve embarrassed you by bringing shame on us.”
“What are you saying, Sister-in-law? We are one family. If there is any burden, it is the Lan family that has burdened you,” Lan Shuang said.
She understood that had Min Ruolan chosen to separate from her husband when trouble struck the Lan family, she might have avoided these hardships.
Min Ruolan seemed to recall something. A smile appeared on her lips, tinged with nostalgia.
“Shuang’er, being able to marry your brother, I don’t fear hardship or suffering.”
“Mother, I’m so thirsty,” Su’er complained.
He had endured his thirst for a long time. His throat was dry and sore, his whole body uncomfortable.
“Don’t worry, Su’er. You’re at your maternal home now,” Min Ruolan said, trying to comfort herself as much as him. “We’ll drink water as soon as we get inside.”
Lan Shuang took off the water pouch at her waist and fed Su’er. “Su’er, tell me immediately if you feel uncomfortable anywhere.”
“Thank you, Auntie,” Su’er said weakly, then leaned against Min Ruolan.
Seeing him in such pain, it felt as though Min Ruolan’s own flesh were being torn.
Finally, an elderly maid came out. She didn’t even look at Lan Shuang, walking straight to Min Ruolan’s side.
“Eldest Miss, Madam said you must go in alone.”
“Even Su’er can’t come in?”
Though she had suspected it, facing it in reality made Min Ruolan’s chest tighten; it was hard to breathe.
“Eldest Miss, these are Madam’s orders.”
“You tell my mother, if she doesn’t want to see Su’er, I won’t disturb her either.”
Min Ruolan still clung to a glimmer of hope. Lan Shuang couldn’t bear to see her like this. After the maid left, she comforted Min Ruolan:
“Sister-in-law, we can take good care of Su’er.”
“But I’m afraid something like what happened today will happen again,” Min Ruolan said, holding Su’er tightly, afraid she might lose him by accident.