Su Ruoxi let out a soft laugh and raised a hand, signaling her to rise. “Get up. Look at how frightened you are.”
Dongju finally let out a breath of relief. Su Ruoxi continued, “From now on, you’ll work in the outer room. Minghui and Qingdai are enough for the inner rooms.”
“Also, you don’t need to worry about brewing the medicine anymore.”
“But…” Dongju was unwilling to accept it.
“But what?” Su Ruoxi’s voice was cold. “When did it become your place to question your mistress’s decisions? If you’re unwilling, you’re welcome to take your silver and leave the household. My Qingwu Courtyard does not keep disloyal, ungrateful servants.”
Dongju’s face went pale. Her knees gave way and she fell to the ground. “Young Miss, spare me. This servant knows her mistake. I will never overstep again.”
Dongju gritted her teeth and retreated from the main room. That wretch Su Ruoxi was usually so easy to handle. Today she seemed like a different person. If not for having to continue serving the second young miss, who would be willing to wait on her?
I need to report back to the second young miss quickly.
Qingdai watched Dongju turn and leave the Qingwu Courtyard, and said indignantly, “Young Miss, look at her. She’s definitely going to tattle to the second young miss again. A troublesome slave like that should be thrown out of the household!”
Su Ruoxi sneered. “I’m counting on her to tattle.”
Minghui picked up the medicine bowl from earlier and brought it to her nose, frowning slightly. “Fortunately, the young miss did not drink this. There is something wrong with this medicine. It looks like a strong tonic, but the ingredients conflict. Taken over time, it will damage a woman’s foundation, especially the blood vessels, and cause infertility.”
Su Ruoxi’s cold eyes flickered. “Just as I thought.”
In her previous life, not long after she became betrothed to the Marquis’s heir Lu, she often felt weak and fatigued, and her monthly cycles became irregular. She consulted every famous physician but no cause could be found. The Jingning Marquis Estate even sent an imperial physician from the palace to diagnose her. The conclusion was that she was too frail to bear children. On that basis, the Jingning Marquis Estate proposed that the second young miss, Su Ruolan, marry in as well.
On the day of the wedding, evidence of her mother and brother’s treason was found in her dowry. Her mother was murdered, her brother exiled, and she herself was thrown into the Court Entertainment Bureau. Yet the second young miss, Su Ruolan, married her ideal man in grand style.
So everything had been premeditated. Reborn into a new life, she swore to make these vile schemers pay.
“My dear cousin is truly something. She joined hands with the Marquis’s heir Lu to destroy my foundation.”
Qingdai said anxiously, “Young Miss, what do we do?”
Su Ruoxi took a light sip of clear tea and said slowly, “Don’t worry. Now that I know their intentions, I won’t let them succeed.”
Minghui stepped forward and reached out to support Su Ruoxi. “Young Miss, do not worry. With me here, I will definitely restore your health.”
Su Ruoxi nodded and entered the inner room with Minghui.
The curtains in the inner room hung low. Su Ruoxi half-reclined on the soft couch. Qingdai undid her collar, exposing the wound. Minghui took out silver needles. The needles fell lightly, steadily piercing several key acupoints. Su Ruoxi frowned slightly but made no sound.
After a moment, blood slowly seeped along the needles, carrying a faint black mist. Minghui’s expression was grave. “Fortunately, the young miss discovered their scheme in time. Only then could I draw out the poison for you.”
After putting down the needles, Minghui instructed Qingdai to bring the prepared medicinal bath into the inner room. Perilla, mugwort, and several secret medicinal ingredients floated in the water. Mist curled upward, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.
Minghui said quietly, “This medicinal bath can drive out residual poison and strengthen your vital energy. But from now on, the young miss must avoid wind and cold. Do not take heavy tonics, especially not ginseng or deer antler.”
Su Ruoxi nodded, removed her clothes, and stepped into the bath. The warmth soaked into the wound, bringing a faint ache. She closed her eyes and focused. Her fingertips brushed lightly over her lower abdomen. In her previous life, that place had been cold as dead water from the poison. Now, at last, there was warmth.
Half an hour later, Su Ruoxi rose. Qingdai hurried to hand her a silk robe.
Before Su Ruoxi was fully dressed, hurried footsteps came from the outer room. It was Su Ruolan and her group.
“Sister, how can you be so foolish? Dongju came and told me that today you complained the medicine was bitter, refused to take it, and even drove a loyal girl like Dongju out to the outer room.”
As she spoke, Su Ruolan had already ordered a maid to prepare the medicine again. “Sister, this is a strengthening prescription the Marquis’s heir Lu specially had made. He is deeply devoted to you. If you don’t take it, wouldn’t you be betraying his good intentions?”
She finished with a smile, but her eyes were cold. Behind her, a maid quickly placed the medicine bowl on the table. The medicinal aroma spread, carrying the scent of ginseng and deer antler.
Su Ruoxi tied her sash and walked out slowly. She glanced at the medicine, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly. “How would I dare betray the Marquis’s heir Lu’s deep affection? I only fear that my weak body cannot handle such a rich tonic, and I would waste such precious medicine.”
She strolled to the table, her fingertip lightly brushing the rim of the bowl. Suddenly she smiled. “I see Sister’s face is pale and there are dark circles under your eyes. You must have stayed up all night pleading with the Marquis’s heir Lu on my behalf. I think this tonic is more suited to you.”
Su Ruolan’s expression changed drastically. How does she know the Marquis’s heir Lu met with me secretly last night? She had indeed pleaded with him, but what she begged for was mercy in bed. The Marquis’s heir Lu was indeed the ideal man all the girls in the capital dreamed of, truly fierce and bold. Last night’s entanglement had nearly drained all her strength.
At that thought, her face flushed bright red.
She forced down the shock in her heart and managed a faint smile. “Sister jests. How could I drink your tonic? If word got out, people would say I, as your younger sister, am inconsiderate.”
She lowered her eyes to hide her panic and pushed the medicine bowl forward. “Sister, you should drink it quickly while it’s warm. Don’t let it disturb Grandmother…”
So if she didn’t drink it, they would bring Grandmother to pressure her?
Su Ruoxi’s smile did not fade. She took the bowl. “It seems you won’t be at ease today unless I drink it.”
Su Ruoxi parted her lips and took a small sip. Only then did Su Ruolan breathe a sigh of relief, a flicker of satisfaction passing through her eyes.
Just then, a servant’s voice came from outside the door. “Young misses, the Marquis’s heir Lu has come to call. The Old Madam asks that both young misses go over.”
Overjoyed at the chance to see her lover, Su Ruolan turned to the servant. “Go tell them my sister and I will be there shortly.”
She did not even notice Su Ruoxi spit the medicine out in the confusion.
Su Ruoxi wiped her lips with a silk handkerchief wrapped around her fingertip. Her gaze swept over Su Ruolan’s joyful face, then down to the dark red love mark still not fully concealed at her collar. It seemed last night’s battle had been fierce.
Su Ruoxi handed the bowl to Minghui. “I’ve drunk the medicine. Thank you for your trouble, Sister. Let’s go see the Marquis’s heir Lu.”
Then Su Ruoxi glanced at Dongju. She already had a plan. She smiled. “As for Dongju, let her continue brewing my medicine.”
Seeing that Su Ruoxi seemed to have let go of her suspicions, Su Ruolan relaxed and walked alongside her.
Stepping outside, Su Ruoxi feigned a cough. “Sister, go on ahead. I’m still recovering and can’t be exposed to the wind. I’ll go back for a cloak.”
Su Ruolan nodded and walked off first.
Su Ruoxi stood under the eaves, watching her figure recede. Her lips tightened, and a cold chill rose in her eyes.
Minghui quietly handed her a handkerchief. She lightly wiped the residue from her lips and said in a low voice, “Keep that medicine for now. I have a use for it.”
Minghui nodded in acknowledgment.