Poisoned to Death

When Lin Yunwan left Hall of Longevity, her face looked really bad.

It was rare to see Ge Bao'er so angry.

When Qing came, she said to her son, "... Go and find out for me, and whatever you hear, come and tell me."

The Old Madam no longer prevents the mother and son from seeing each other.

Qing still often comes over to pay his respects to the Old Madam and also visits Ge Bao'er.

Qing was reluctant to inquire about his stepmother's affairs. He pouted and said, "Mother, can't we interfere in Mother's business?"

Ge Bao'er stroked his head and asked, "Do you want your mother to be kicked out again?"

Qing clung to her leg, saying reluctantly, "Mother, I don't want to!"

Ge Bao'er said, "Then you have to listen to your mother."

Qing said in a low voice, "... I listened to you last time too."

The result was not good.

Ge Bao'er smiled mysteriously, "Qing'er, this time is different."

"How come it's different?"

Ge Bao'er said confidently, "Your maternal grandfather is extraordinary! If your mother finds them, your life will be smooth sailing."

Qing looked completely bewildered. "Who is my maternal grandfather?"

Ge Bao'er doesn't know yet.

However, the Old Madam was willing to take her back, and Lin Yunwan didn't dare to say a word. After returning to the mansion, she could not only see Qing at will, but the room she lived in was also much better than before, and she had two second-class maids serving her.

This suggests that the Jade Pendant she wore while still an infant symbolized a very powerful status.

She's about to turn things around!

"Qing'er, they're still fighting. I can't go out and don't know anything, so let them fight for now."

"My child, I can never bear to leave you again!"

Ge Bao'er hugged Qing tightly, extremely reluctant to part with him. This time, she was determined to do everything she could to stay by her son's side.

What's wrong with Young Madam?

Zhu Qing went out to digest her food and had just returned to the Rain Apricot Pavilion when she saw Lin Yunwan's back in the distance, seemingly angry.

Tong Liu Xiliu both helped her up. Xiliu said, "Concubine, watch your step, we're going up the steps."

Zhu Qing climbed the steps.

Back in the room, which was warm, Xiliu said to her, "Concubine, didn't Young Madam advise you not to worry about anything anymore? You should take good care of yourself during your pregnancy."

Tong Liu put down the umbrella, replaced the charcoal in Zhu Qing's hand warmer, and said the same thing, "That's right, Concubine, this is your first child. My mother said the first child is the most important, so you must give birth safely."

Zhu Qing sighed, "I was born to worry."

If Ge Bao'er's true background is true, then she is the most unfortunate one.

However, the Concubine had her Concubine way of surviving; though it was annoying, it wasn't enough to keep her up at night.

She leaned against the tatami mat and whispered, "I feel like something's not quite right. Can you tell?"

Tong Liu Xiliu looked at each other and shook their heads.

I have no idea what Concubine Zhu Qing is talking about.

Drooping Silk Hall.

Lin Yunwan was indeed angry.

"The Old Madam is stalling me."

But what frustrated her was that she didn't understand what the Old Madam was delaying.

There's no turning back now!

Ping Ye, being simple-minded, whispered, "... Is it possible that the Old Madam simply looks down on Concubine Ge? No matter what kind of rich young lady she is, she certainly can't compare to you, Young Madam. If you ask me, you're the one who's best at managing the household and educating the legitimate Legitimate Son."

"If Concubine Ge becomes the mistress of the house, what kind of children will she raise in the mansion!"

Lin Yunwan shook her head. "That's not it. The Old Madam doesn't have that kind of foresight."

The Old Madam was short-sighted; otherwise, she wouldn't have tolerated Lu Zhengliu's foolish act of favoring his concubine over his wife.

It was snowing heavily outside, everything was white, and you could hardly see anything.

Before the Laba Festival, Zhu Qing brought over some porridge, saying she couldn't stay idle and had cooked it herself.

"Young Madam, my cooking skills are certainly no match for yours, please make do with this."

Lin Yunwan faintly. "These things are all done by the kitchen staff. Even if you can't stand being idle, you don't need to do them yourself. After you give birth, you'll have plenty of opportunities to do the hard work."

Holding a bowl of porridge, Zhu Qing said slowly, "Young Madam, while I was cooking porridge on the stove, I heard some things... I want to tell you!"

"What's up?"

Lin Yunwan raised her eyebrows; Tao Ye had already gone out to guard the gate. Ping Ye also withdrew.

Zhu Qing said in a low voice, "Isn't it strange? From the time Concubine Ge was in the manor to the estate, she never stopped taking medicine. But after returning this time, she took a few doses of medicine for Wind-Cold and then stopped. She ate with the Old Madam's meals every day, and she recovered so quickly."

"Did she find a miraculous prescription that worked after just a few doses, or... was she taking the wrong medicine from the beginning?"

Lin Yunwan paused slightly, thinking of many, many things.

"Zhu Qing, don't tell anyone about this. Don't say a word, or you'll get yourself into trouble."

Zhu Qing was also startled, and quickly realized that things were not simple.

She nodded emphatically and said, "I understand. I'll pretend I know nothing. I just came to bring you some porridge today."

"Since Young Madam has made up her mind, I shall take my leave."

She put down the porridge and went outside.

Lin Yunwan looked at the porridge that had turned milky yellow, closed her eyes, and thought that the Wuding Marquis Residence was a place where people would eat people without spitting out the bones, but that was only because they used etiquette and law to bully her. She had never dared to imagine that the Lu family was so bold!

Poisoning the mistress of the house and holding such a huge murder case in their hands, aren't Old Madam Lu, Lu Zhengliu, and Ge Bao'er afraid of the underworld and the laws of the Imperial Court?!

"Tao Ye, come in."

This girl was meticulous. Lin Yunwan entrusted her with the task. "Find some of the medicine Concubine Ge took at the manor before going to the estate, as well as the dregs left behind from the medicine she took at the estate."

"Don't alert anyone, don't let anyone know."

"... yes."

Tao Ye received the order and left with great unease.

But she was a composed person, and no matter how uneasy she felt inside, it wouldn't show on her face.

I went to the Kitchen first, but couldn't find out anything, since it had been too long since Ge Bao'er left the mansion last time.

However, they managed to find out from the daughter of a woman who helped in the kitchen. "The pot for brewing medicine for Concubine? Nanny Yan kept it; it's not under our jurisdiction."

Tao Ye didn't ask any more questions and found a way to go to the estate with Nanny Yuan, saying that she was there to choose a maid.

She actually found the dregs of the medicine!

The tenant farmer said, "The dregs of the medicine? Who's going to collect them? They're just buried haphazardly."

She's just a Concubine who was sent away, not even under the Old Madam's nose. Nanny Yan only ordered someone to add something to her medicine, without even specifying what it was. Who would bother to properly clean up the dregs?

A cold wind blew through the Tao Ye as they rummaged through the frozen soil and saw the dregs of medicine that Ge Bao'er had drunk.

She put it in her purse and took it home.

When she reached Lin Yunwan, her face and hands were already frozen.

"Young Madam, that's strange. Nanny Yan specifically put away the medicine pot we used to brew her medicine."

"This is dregs of medicine; it's been buried in the ground for a long time, and it still smells."

Lin Yunwan opened the purse and smelled a faint, all-too-familiar scent: almonds. The scent was so faint that she wouldn't have been able to recognize it if she hadn't been so familiar with it!

It turns out she didn't die of illness in her past life, but was poisoned!

She served the Wuding Marquis Residence's household like a slave, pouring her heart and soul into it. They, wanting to be together forever, secretly carried her to her death without anyone knowing. What a happy couple they were!

Young Madam, what's wrong?

"I'm fine..."

Lin Yunwan's eyes reddened as she gripped the purse tightly in her hand.

If the Lu family could poison her, could they also kill her dowry maid and her Chang Gong?

What about her hasn't been destroyed by the Lu family?!