The door slammed shut with a bang.
Before long, the sound of a lock clicking into place came from outside, along with an old woman's low curse: "Keep watch. Don't let those two lunatics, the big one and the little one, get out and harm our Young Heir."
Xiao Hua'an glanced back at the door and window, then turned around and said to Chu Fengge in a coaxing tone, "Mommy, be good. The bad people are gone. Hua An will protect Mommy. Hua An will blow on Mommy's neck to make it better."
Chu Fengge's heart clenched, and she looked down at the child.
Xiao Hua'an had a pointed little chin and a very thin, small face that made her eyes look enormous. The light in her pupils glistened with tears. She was clearly just a child herself, yet he was speaking like an adult, trying to comfort her, his own mother.
She couldn't help wondering—during all those years when the original owner had been mad and simple-minded, how had Xiao Hua'an managed to survive?
Chu Fengge pulled Xiao Hua'an into her arms, her heart aching for the child. "Hua An, cry if you want to cry. From now on, Mommy will protect you."
The little figure in her arms trembled. She pursed her lips, forcing herself to be brave, and said, "Mommy, Hua An won't cry. Hua An will get food for Mommy. There's lots of food on the table."
With that, Xiao Hua'an stepped out of Chu Fengge's arms, ran to the table, and carried over a large plate of pastries, pushing it in front of Chu Fengge. Her voice was soft and sweet as he said, "Eat, Mommy."
Delicate, fragrant sweet cakes were neatly arranged on the plate.
Chu Fengge's eyes swept over the sugar cakes on the plate, and her brows immediately furrowed.
Just then, Xiao Hua'an picked up a sugar cake and was about to eat it.
Chu Fengge, quick as lightning, slapped the sugar cake out of her hand and cried out, "Hua An, don't eat it—it's poisoned!"
She swiftly grabbed the teapot from the table and poured tea over the fallen sugar cake. The cake instantly dissolved, emitting bubbling red foam.
It was a potent poison!
A single bite could pierce the intestines and take a person's life.
Xiao Hua'an jumped in fright, and only then did she realize that something about his mother had changed.
"Mommy, how did you know…" Xiao Hua'an suddenly remembered—the sugar cake the Young Heir had eaten had been taken from this very plate…
At that moment, the window behind them swung open, and a dense swarm of fire starters came flying in, igniting everything flammable in the room.
Chu Fengge turned to look, and her pupils contracted sharply.
The flames shot up in an instant. The window that had just been pushed open from outside slammed shut again, and all the doors and windows were locked from without.
Rage surged through Chu Fengge's chest.
This hypocritical pseudo-gentleman—on one hand, he pretended to disdain harming a child; on the other, he had someone set a fire to burn her and her child alive…
Mo Qianhan, if you have the guts, burn us to death with this fire. Otherwise, I will never let you off!
Meanwhile, the Prince's Manor Steward hurried into Moyu Pavilion and reported, "Your Highness, there's a fire outbreak at Guibao Pavilion. The Princess Consort suddenly went mad, knocked over the candelabrum, and set the whole room ablaze…"
Mo Qianhan's sword-like brows knitted. "That madwoman."
He rose to his feet, preparing to return to Guibao Pavilion to take a look, when a young woman in the prime of her youth suddenly emerged from the inner room.
Her voice was soft and gentle, tinged with tears. "Cousin, the Young Heir says his stomach hurts so badly—he can't bear the pain. It breaks my heart to see him suffer. Please go in and stay with the child. With you, his father, by his side, he won't feel so afraid."
Mo Qianhan paused mid-step, then walked into the room without hesitation.
Mo Xiaolou clutched at Mo Qianhan's clothing, his head covered in cold sweat. "Father, it hurts so much!"
Mo Qianhan swept Mo Xiaolou up into his arms and called out in an icy voice, "Imperial Physician!"
"Your Highness, there's no need to call. Several Imperial Physicians are in the side room next door preparing the antidote for the Young Heir. Imperial Physician Xu said the Young Heir has been poisoned by the King of Poisons—if an antidote isn't found within half an hour, the Young Heir will… will die." Bai Ruoshui pulled out a handkerchief, sobbing softly. "The Young Heir must take the antidote as soon as possible. There's not much time left!"
Hearing this, Mo Qianhan set Mo Xiaolou down and said to Bai Ruoshui, "Watch him."
With those words, Mo Qianhan headed straight for Guibao Pavilion!
He was going to demand that Chu Fengge hand over the antidote…