“Who’s this?”
Dressed in pitch black like a big crow.
Lin Yu’er sat with her legs crossed inelegantly, shaking her foot while chewing on a rib until her cheeks bulged.
“This humble servant is Chang Sui, the Marquis’ attendant.”
Chang Sui had been assigned by He Jiulin to protect Lin Yu’er in secret.
But he wasn’t the only one protecting Lin Yu’er – there were also subordinates from other lords…
Knowing Lin Yu’er had gone mad, he didn’t dare use force to bring her to Xiyu Tower, afraid it would backfire and give the other lords an opportunity to snatch her away. He only hoped to coax her over with sweet words.
“Madam, the Marquis is truly ill. I beg you to give this subordinate an antidote…”
Lin Yu’er focused on eating, not saying a word.
“The Marquis holds sincere feelings for you, deep and meaningful. Just look at how your courtyard is furnished to know this.”
“…”
“Madam! The Dark Ink Lacquer Inlaid Screen Bed in your room was personally designed by the Marquis with great effort. That Red Gauze Gold Embroidered Canopy costs a fortune per inch! And the painting hanging above your dressing table was painted by the Marquis himself!”
“…”
“The table and chairs you’re eating at, the cabinets – all were made by Mohist disciples whom the Marquis personally visited with gifts! The Begonia Pattern Gallbladder Vase behind you, the teapot and cups on your table – all are treasures among treasures. Each item represents the Marquis’ sincere heart…”
Chang Sui’s face was full of anxiety, his words coming faster and faster, while Lin Yu’er remained leisurely and detached.
Lin Yu’er gulped down the last bite in her mouth and tossed the bone aside.
Seeing her lack of response, Chang Sui simply knelt directly.
“Madam, this humble servant begs you! Please give the Marquis an antidote!”
“What illness does he have? Why come to me for an antidote?” Lin Yu’er asked. Just as she was about to lick her fingers, Zhang Momo took out a handkerchief and wiped them clean. She looked down at her spotless fingers and frowned.
Then, while Zhang Momo was serving her soup, she rebelliously quickly poked her finger into the sweet and sour ribs.
Right in front of Zhang Momo, she loudly sucked her fingers several times, raising her chin provocatively.
Hmph, how dare this little magic weapon try to control this demoness!
When I want to suck my fingers, no one’s wiping will stop me.
“This humble servant doesn’t know what illness the Marquis has either. That’s why I’ve come to beg you, Madam – because this poison was administered by you…”
Lin Yu’er finally looked away from the food, her eyes sparkling.
“I administered it?! I wouldn’t stoop to poisoning a mere male concubine!” Then, Lin Yu’er turned to Zhang Momo: “You tell them! Am I that vicious?!”
Zhang Momo immediately understood.
The poison must have been administered by the original host, yet Lin Yu’er had to bear the blame!
What a disaster.
The original host must have had the antidote, but this Lin Yu’er didn’t!
After crossing over, Zhang Momo had subtly asked hundreds of times – whether any new memories had appeared in her mind, whether she knew who this body’s maternal family was, whether she had offended anyone, who her enemies were. Not a word came out, though she did let out a resounding fart that left Zhang Momo utterly exasperated.
What to do now? Where could they produce an antidote from?!
Lin Yu’er stood to the side with a look of disdain, probably fantasizing about something, disdainful of who knows what.
Zhang Momo’s head was buzzing.
“The Marquis has been poisoned! From Chang Sui’s tone, this poison flares up monthly?”
She knew nothing about this—there was no such memory in her mind.
Previously, she was just a low-ranking maid in the Marquis’s household, how could she have known such things?
What should she do now?
Zhang Momo was panicking.
At that moment, a scene flashed through Lin Yu’er’s mind:
A woman in a watery cyan dress moved aside the footstool by the bed, crawled underneath, and hid an exquisite small wooden box beneath a stone slab under the bed…
If Lin Yu’er were a normal, rational person, she would have recognized that scene as the original owner’s memory and realized the original owner had been feigning madness all along.
But now, her mind was truly unwell—genuinely insane—so she naturally saw no issue with it.
Instinctively, she assumed a woman had hidden a great treasure under her bed. With that sneaky behavior, it must be something valuable!
She needed to quietly find it and hide it somewhere else!
Lin Yu’er rose with utmost grace: “Zhang Momo, Du Du, keep an eye on him for me—don’t let him move. I’m going inside to find medicine!”
Chang Sui’s eyes lit up, brimming with excitement.
He had asked the Lady for the antidote before but never received it.
This time, it actually worked?!
Du Du and Zhang Momo immediately flanked Chang Sui on either side.
When Chang Sui merely tried to adjust his kneeling position, Du Du pressed him back down with one hand: “Stay put.”
Before long, Lin Yu’er emerged from the room with her hair bun askew, the white pearl ornaments on either side dangling precariously, and her face covered in dust.
In her hand was a small bottle.
Chang Sui looked up, his gaze fixed intently on the bottle, burning with anticipation.
“And here I thought it was some great treasure hidden away, but it’s just a tiny bottle.” She pulled out the stopper, peered inside, found the smell rather pungent like chemicals, and flinched back slightly.
She tipped the bottle into her palm, shaking out several pills.
Each pill was about the size of a pinky finger, and they came in several different colors.
Just as Chang Sui watched with hopeful expectation, Lin Yu’er tossed the handful of pills into her mouth, crunching them down with loud chews.
Chang Sui shot to his feet: “My Lady! Why did you eat them all?!”
Lin Yu’er glanced at him: “What?”
Chang Sui’s voice trembled as he spoke: “That’s the Marquis’s antidote!”
“My things—can’t I eat them?”
Lin Yu’er licked her lips, smacking them with a hint of lingering taste: “Not that delicious anyway. Want me to spit them out for you?”
Chang Sui’s face turned ashen, his heart having ridden a rollercoaster of extreme hope and despair, his expression twisting with anguish.
It’s over!
The antidote is gone!
…
At Xiyu Pavilion.
Chang An stood guard outside the tightly shut door, his face full of worry.
Inside the room, He Jiulin clutched his head in agony, sweating profusely, suppressed groans escaping his lips.
Suddenly, he heard Chang An exclaim outside.
“My Lady? What brings you here?”
“The Marquis is indisposed at the moment, My Lady… Hey, Chang Sui, why are you pulling me? You can’t let the Lady in!”
Then, the firmly closed door was shoved open—
He Jiulin, who had collapsed beside the desk, slowly lifted his head. The shadows on his features receded gradually, illuminated by the outside light.
A slender young woman strode in from outside, her hair adorned with jade ornaments, her beauty radiant and captivating, her skirt flowing like jade waves—a stunning beauty.
Except, this beauty was holding an oversized bowl, shoveling rice into her mouth as she walked.
“Why are you sitting on the floor?”
Lin Yu’er walked into the room while picking at her food, staring at He Jiulin from left to right. She noticed his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, his face frighteningly pale, and his lips lacking any color.
“Du Du, help him lie down on the bed.”
“After I finish eating, I’ll use my Demonic power to treat your body. Your frail physique looks far too weak…”
He Jiulin seemed to think of something, his eyes flickering: “Then I’ll trouble you, Madam.”
Lin Yu’er stared at him, thinking: This male concubine is quite considerate.
Satisfied, she narrowed her eyes, stuck her chopsticks in the rice bowl, and reached out to ruffle his hair twice.
“Wait! I’ll finish right away!”
She gobbled down her meal, put down the bowl, and walked to the bedside with an air of authority before sitting down.
“What follows is my clan’s secret technique when I circulate my Demonic power. All unrelated personnel must leave!”
Chang An and Chang Sui looked toward He Jiulin, who waved them away.
Zhang Momo and Du Du remained standing without moving.
Lin Yu’er: “You two, out as well!”
Zhang Momo’s heart was racing wildly, thinking that Lin Yu’er was just a lunatic who couldn’t possibly know any Demonic power. Staying would surely expose the charade.
How utterly nerve-wracking!
But under He Jiulin’s signal, with Chang An and Chang Sui both staring at her, Zhang Momo could only follow them out.
The group stood outside the door, carefully listening for any movement from inside the room.
After a long while, He Jiulin’s unsteady voice came from inside.
“Madam, what exactly… are you touching?”
“Shh, don’t disturb my power circulation. I’ve treated everywhere else except this spot you’re covering. Let go…”