Yan Xun sat directly beside Zhang Gongzhu, casting a meaningful glance at Zhu Xi and the others.
Instead of answering Zhang Gongzhu’s question, he looked off to the side.
“Lu Da Gongzi, why don’t you tell us—why would your personal attendant try to poison the maid who was delivering a message to you and Zhang Gongzhu?”
His words stirred a thousand waves.
The crowd’s gazes toward Lu Zhi grew even more astonished, perhaps never having expected that this matter could be tied to him as well.
Cold sweat had already beaded on Lu Zhi’s forehead the moment Yan Xun dragged people in, and now, under everyone’s stares, he was even less sure of what to say.
Zhu Xi, kneeling on the ground, gritted his teeth upon seeing this.
“It was me—all of this was done by me in secret. I couldn’t bear to see Miss Mu humiliate my master like that.”
“So I thought that if Miss Mu’s virtue were compromised, only my master would take her in. I beg Your Highness and Zhang Gongzhu to spare my master—he truly knew nothing!”
Zhu Xi’s words allowed Lu Zhi to react quickly. He immediately stepped forward and delivered a vicious kick.
“You—how could you do something like this behind my back!”
Then, he knelt on the ground in terror. “Your Highness, Zhang Gongzhu, it was all because my attendant acted foolishly in a moment of confusion. Whether you wish to kill him or flay him, please decide as you see fit.”
Zhang Gongzhu’s expression was grim. She had grown up in the deep palace.
She had seen such schemes far too many times.
How could she not know who among them harbored malicious intent, and who sought to ruin a woman’s reputation!
But with so many eyes watching now, and with the Hou Fu involved…
Zhang Gongzhu took a deep breath, closed her eyes briefly, then turned to look at Mu Yao. “Although this matter has nothing to do with Miss Mu, it has still damaged her reputation and nearly caused a great disaster. What does Miss Mu think should be done?”
Mu Yao hadn’t expected Zhang Gongzhu to leave the decision to her.
She instinctively glanced at Yan Xun, who was propping his chin on his hand and curling the corner of his lips at her.
“I am but a young lady of the inner chambers, and the Mu Fu’s rear courtyard is governed by leniency and benevolence. I have never encountered such matters before. Might I presume to ask Your Highness how this should be handled?”
Seeing her feign ignorance, Yan Xun raised an eyebrow.
His previously languid demeanor turned serious. His cold eyes swept briefly over the two trembling figures kneeling below, then he pointed at Zhu Xi.
“Throw this one into the river. As for the other… have him beaten to death.”
With a single indifferent sentence, he decided their fates.
Those present were so frightened they dared not even breathe loudly, lest they incur this lord’s wrath.
“Is Miss Mu satisfied?”
Yan Xun tossed the question over, and Mu Yao inwardly grumbled but dared not show it.
She naturally followed his lead and agreed.
At this, many people’s gazes toward Mu Yao shifted once more.
Even a few young men from prominent families who had been considering making advances toward Mu Yao quietly backed away.
“In that case, so be it. What happened today must not be spread. You may all take your leave.”
“As for Lu Da Gongzi, I recall that the poetry gathering will be held soon. Though you are well-read, you still have room for improvement. Before the gathering takes place, you would do well to stay home and study the Book of Songs more—so that you might win first place.”
There was still half a month until the poetry gathering. Zhang Gongzhu’s words were clearly a warning to Lu Zhi.
But Lu Zhi could say nothing in response. He could only accept with a pale face.
When the crowd had mostly dispersed, Mu Yao glanced at the Second Miss Zhao, who was kneeling on the ground with reddened eyes. She sighed inwardly, then turned to take her leave.
As she was leaving, she could faintly hear the woman’s pleas behind her, along with Yan Xun’s cold words.
Mu Yao sighed to herself and hurried away with Ningzhu.
After everything that had just happened, who still had the heart to enjoy the scenery? People gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves.
Mu Yao disliked this atmosphere, so she found an excuse to slip away from the crowd.
As she left the hall, she saw Lu Zhi—who had once been surrounded by people—now being shunned like a plague.
After today’s events, word would surely reach every household before their boat even docked.
When that happened, the Hou Fu would truly be disgraced!
It might even be brought up in court and formally impeached!
Back in the private chamber, Ningzhu finally let out a breath.
“Miss, Chu Wang is truly terrifying!”
Mu Yao took a sip of tea, then remembered that Ningzhu had returned following Changqing earlier.
“Did you run into Changqing on the way?”
“No, miss. When I arrived, I happened to see Vice General Chang stopping Zhu Xi from slipping the drug into that maid’s drink. It seemed he had anticipated it all along.”
Mu Yao was momentarily dazed.
For Changqing to act in such a manner, it must have been because of Yan Xun.
The maid had been scheming against her, and Yan Xun’s actions were clearly helping her.
But what was his purpose in helping her?
Could it be that he still wanted that formula?
Mu Yao thought to herself as she instinctively reached up to her head, following her usual habit of taking the gold hairpin inlaid with a pearl and rubbing it between her fingers.
But she grasped at nothing.
It was then that she remembered—the gold hairpin had already been handed to Yan Xun back in the upstairs chamber.
With so many eyes around now, she couldn’t very well go knock on his door to demand it back.
If someone saw her, it would only invite more gossip.
After much deliberation, she decided to wait for another opportunity to bring it up.
“Ningzhu, go outside and see when the ship will dock.”
The string of events had left Mu Yao feeling rather vexed. After Ningzhu left, she poured a small piece of condensed incense from the porcelain bottle she carried with her.
She placed it in the incense burner and lit it, the fresh fragrance of rain-soaked bamboo drifting into her nostrils.
It eased her troubled thoughts somewhat.
But just as she closed her eyes to rest for a moment, Yan Xun’s face flashed unbidden through her mind.
Startled, she snapped her eyes open!
“Why would I think of him?”
Mu Yao pressed a slender hand to her chest, calming her racing heartbeat. After banishing the man’s image from her thoughts, she frowned and extinguished the incense burner.
Ningzhu happened to walk in and witness this scene. “Miss, why did you put out the bamboo incense? Haven’t you favored this scent the most lately?”
“Never mind. From now on, switch back to Youlanxiang.”
It was better than being reminded of Yan Xun every time she caught that fragrance.
“Yes.”
Though Ningzhu found it strange, she didn’t press further. She carefully gathered the porcelain bottles spread across the table.
She reminded Mu Yao that they still had two hours before reaching shore, and that she could take a short nap.
Meanwhile, in the Zhang Gongzhu’s private cabin on the third floor.
Yan Xun lit the incense, and as the fragrance wafted through the air, the hostility on his face eased somewhat.
“This incense…”
A flicker of surprise crossed the Zhang Gongzhu’s eyes. Noticing the expression on this young man’s face, her suspicions were confirmed once more.
“Axun, now that you’ve returned from the battlefield, the Emperor intends to arrange a marriage for you. Is there anyone you have in mind?”
At the mention of an arranged marriage, a shadow passed through Yan Xun’s eyes—so quickly that the Zhang Gongzhu didn’t catch it.
He idly stirred the Youlanxiang incense chips in the burner. “There is and there isn’t. No rush.”
Seeing his gesture, the Zhang Gongzhu could roughly guess who he had in mind. After a moment’s thought, she furrowed her brow.
“The Mu family was once so prosperous in the capital. What a pity that heaven envies the gifted—leaving behind only an orphaned girl with no one to rely on. If someone protects her, she’ll fare better, but if no one does, combined with the rumors in the capital, her days ahead will likely be difficult.”
Yan Xun lowered his gaze to the incense chips in the burner, a slight curve forming at the corner of his lips. “The Lu family’s son had no such fortune. But my fortune has always been quite good.”