Seeing Amber run off to find Fan Suwan, Jiang Zhiyu smiled silently, concealing her accomplishment, and returned to her residence.
Wangyou and Rendong rushed to greet her upon her return.
“Miss! Are you alright?”
“Miss, nothing bad happened, right?”
Jiang Zhiyu smiled at the two, “Others may not know my abilities, but don’t you know them? Of course I’m fine!”
Wangyou blushed, “Of course we know Miss’s abilities, but we were still worried!” “Now that we see Miss is back safely, we’re relieved!” Rendong quickly added.
“ Was the bucket of water dealt with?” The two nodded in unison,
“Don’t worry, Miss, it’s all taken care of!”
Jiang Zhiyu had great faith in their abilities.
“That’s good. Just wait, Aunt will probably be here soon to interrogate us.”
…
Inside Yilan Courtyard. Fan Suwan was filled with shock and anger.
But she knew this wasn’t the time to lose her temper.
The most important thing right now is to find out exactly what happened.
Jiang Jingshu’s injuries are on her body, so she definitely can’t be examined by the imperial physician.
But Liuli and Hupo are maids, and their injuries are on their hands, so there’s no need to worry about that.
The imperial physician carefully examined the two girls’ hands, his expression growing increasingly grave.
“Madam, these two young ladies must have accidentally washed their hands with water containing the juice of a beauty-enhancing herb, which caused this.”
Fan Suwan frowned upon hearing this.
“Beauty-enhancing herb? What is that?”
“Beauty-enhancing herb is a poisonous plant; its juice corrodes the skin, just like their hands,” the imperial physician explained.
The imperial physician had seen this kind of injury before.
The toxicity of beauty-enhancing herb isn’t too strong and isn’t fatal.
However, once poisoned, it becomes extremely troublesome.
Healthy skin will be corroded into pitted, unsightly marks.
Treatment is not only time-consuming but also highly likely to leave scars.
This poison is usually only used by women in the inner palace.
Although its name is unknown, it is extremely vicious.
Two maids of the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion suddenly contracted the poison.
It seems the inner courtyard of the Marquis’s mansion is not peaceful either!
The imperial physician, who had traveled through the inner palace, had witnessed similar incidents.
His mind was in turmoil, but he showed no emotion on his face.
Fan Suwan stared intently at Liuli and Hupo. If it weren’t for the presence of the imperial physician, she would have already subjected the two to severe torture.
With the imperial concubine selection just around the corner, Jiang Jingshu had been poisoned at this time.
Although her face was fine, her body… how could she possibly enter the palace for the selection? Fan Suwan clenched her palms tightly, trying to keep her tone calm.
“Imperial Physician, is there any cure? How long will it take to recover?”
The imperial physician hesitated for a moment, “If I were to treat her, it would take at least two months. And… there’s a possibility of scarring.”
Upon hearing this, Fan Suwan’s vision blurred again.
She was truly about to faint!
Wasn’t the imperial physician’s statement tantamount to a death sentence for Jiang Jingshu? Two months to recover meant she would definitely miss the selection.
If she were covered in scars, let alone becoming a concubine in the palace, even a minor official from a poor family would probably not want to marry her.
Seeing Fan Suwan’s increasingly grim expression, the imperial physician immediately had another guess in his mind.
If it was just two maids who were poisoned, why would the Lady of Zhongyong Marquis care so much?
Could it be that the eldest daughter of Zhongyong Marquis was also…
The imperial physician immediately stopped himself from having such a bold thought. The more you know, the faster you die!
Fan Suwan pondered for a while before asking, “Is there any way to recover faster? Ideally, within ten days to half a month.”
Upon hearing this, the imperial physician thought to himself, “Just as I thought.”
But he dared not hesitate and immediately said, “The medicinal herbs from the Zhexian Tower are dozens or even hundreds of times more effective than ordinary ones. If we spend a lot of money to buy the necessary herbs, and combine them with medicinal cuisine and baths, she should recover within ten days.”
“Good!”
Fan Suwan felt relieved, and even a smile appeared on her face.
Things that can be solved with money are nothing!
The Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion has a history of over a hundred years; they wouldn’t even consider this small amount of silver a concern.
“Please have the imperial physician write out the prescription. I’ll have someone go to the Zhexian Tower to buy the herbs right away.
” The imperial physician agreed and went out with Steward Chen to write the prescription. Seeing the imperial physician leave, Fan Suwan immediately looked at Liuli and Amber. Liuli and Amber immediately knelt down.
“Speak!” Fan Suwan’s tone was stern, brimming with anger, “What exactly happened?!” For so many years, nothing like this had ever happened in the Marquis’s mansion.
How could they suddenly be poisoned? Liuli and Amber exchanged glances, neither daring to speak.
Seeing that neither of them spoke, Fan Suwan sneered, “Since you won’t speak, then we don’t need your tongues. Guards, take them both away, cut off their tongues, and sell them!”
Fan Suwan had held the position of the Marquis’s mistress for so many years; she was no saint. There are plenty of ways to deal with disobedient servants.
“Madam, spare us!”
“We’ll tell you right now!” ”
After returning home today, Miss was sullen. Then she took out a porcelain bottle and asked me to have someone secretly pour the contents into Miss’s bathtub…”
“But somehow, something went wrong…”
Liuli and Amber finished speaking and prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling like leaves.
Although they didn’t know what went wrong, it was ultimately their negligence; otherwise, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.
They didn’t want to speak.
But not speaking would mean a terrible death.
Speaking might offer a glimmer of hope.
Fan Suwan was surprised to hear their words.
Over the years, Jiang Jingshu had been raised by her to be generous, proper, gentle, virtuous, and talented.
She truly hadn’t expected Jiang Jingshu to do such a thing.
But thinking that Jiang Jingshu was about to enter the palace, Fan Suwan felt relieved.
The harem was no good place; it was a den of dragons and tigers!
Without such skill, how could Jiang Jingshu survive in the harem? How could she help the Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion?
However,
such skill would be fine against outsiders.
But now, Jiang Jingshu was dealing with Jiang Zhiyu.
Fan Suwan’s brows furrowed.
She had been planning to have a proper talk with Jiang Jingshu after returning.
But Jiang Jibai’s sudden injury caught her off guard.
It had only been a delay of an hour or two, and things had escalated like this!
Fan Suwan rubbed her temples, about to speak, when Chunfa came out from the inner room, “Madam, Miss is awake!”
Fan Suwan quickly got up and went inside.
Upon entering the inner room, she saw Jiang Jingshu huddled under the covers, only her head sticking out, her eyes red and her face streaked with tears.
Seeing Fan Suwan enter, Jiang Jingshu cried even more bitterly.
“Mother! Mother! Please save me!”
Fan Suwan went over and sat down by the bed, gently comforting her, “Jingshu, don’t worry, don’t be afraid! The imperial physician has said that he bought the medicinal herbs from the Zhexian Tower, and you’ll be fully recovered in just ten days!”
“Really?”
“How could your mother lie to you!”
Jiang Jingshu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
When she first woke up and saw the craters all over her body, she wished she could die immediately!
Now that she knew she would be fully recovered in ten days, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
But this matter absolutely could not be left like this!
“Mother! It was Jiang Zhiyu who harmed me! It must be her!”
Hearing Jiang Jingshu’s certain words, Fan Suwan fell silent.
She had actually suspected the same thing just now.
But… could it really be Jiang Zhiyu?
She had only been in the Marquis’s mansion for a few days, living in the guest courtyard, and probably hadn’t even figured out the layout of the mansion yet.
Even if Jiang Zhiyu wanted to do this, she didn’t have the ability, did she?
“Jing Shu, listen to your mother!” Fan Suwan gently persuaded, “Zhiyu just returned to the manor, she shouldn’t have this ability…”
“Mother! It must be her! In the entire manor, besides her, who else would harm me?”
Seeing Fan Suwan’s brows furrow, Jiang Jing Shu calmed down slightly.
In her anxiety and anger, she forgot that Jiang Zhiyu was Fan Suwan’s biological daughter.
The biological daughter is indeed different!
Even after harming her like this, Fan Suwan still doesn’t believe her! She
didn’t even bother to investigate!
Jiang Jing Shu’s heart was filled with boundless hatred, and she hated Fan Suwan as well.
But she knew that now was not the time to turn against her.
Jiang Jing Shu blinked, and tears welled up in her eyes again.
“Mother, does my sister think I’m unworthy to be the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion, just like my brother Jibai? Does she think I’ve embarrassed myself today, so she…”
Fan Suwan stood up. “Don’t think so much. Just rest well. You can take your medicine soon. I’ll go ask her! If it really is her, I’ll make sure she gives you an explanation!”
With that, Fan Suwan turned and left.
Watching Fan Suwan’s departing figure, the tears in Jiang Jingshu’s eyes gradually disappeared, and her gaze grew increasingly cold and fierce.
An explanation?
She wanted Jiang Zhiyu dead!
…
When Fan Suwan arrived, Jiang Zhiyu was lying on the chaise longue by the window.
The room was quiet.
Wangyou and Rendong were doing needlework. Seeing Fan Suwan enter aggressively, they quickly stood up and bowed.
Fan Suwan didn’t look at the two of them and went straight to the chaise longue.
“Did you poison Jing Shu?”
Jiang Zhiyu slowly opened her eyes, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion. “Poison? What poison? My cousin is poisoned?”
The confusion in Jiang Zhiyu’s eyes seemed genuine.
Seeing this, Fan Suwan frowned slightly, but her tone softened a bit. “Is it really not you?”
“What are you talking about, Aunt? What do you mean by ‘me’?”
Fan Suwan didn’t answer Jiang Zhiyu’s question, but instead looked at Chunfa. “Go ask her.”
“Yes!”
Chunfa quickly walked outside and returned hurriedly after a short while.
“Reporting to Madam, I just asked the maids serving in the courtyard and the cleaning ladies outside. After Miss Biao returned, she hasn’t left the courtyard.”
Fan Suwan breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief.
It’s good that it wasn’t Jiang Zhiyu!
It’s not that she particularly liked Jiang Zhiyu.
It’s just that Jiang Zhiyu had recently gained the Empress Dowager’s favor, and the Marquis’s mansion had finally managed to curry favor with the Empress Dowager. She didn’t want any problems to arise at this time.
Jiang Zhiyu looked completely bewildered. “Aunt? What’s wrong? Does Aunt suspect me of something?”