Xia Wanwan rolled onto the floor and watched helplessly as her beloved chef was force-fed poison.
She sobbed so hard she could barely breathe.
She crawled over on her hands and knees to stop it.
But she was too little to stop the bad man from feeding Uncle Li the food!
Boohoo, how dare you poison Uncle Li right in front of me!
I'll beat you! I curse you to eat all that food yourself! My Uncle Li won't die!
She was truly about to burst with rage.
Her round eyes were red as she glared fiercely at Xu Bo.
For some reason, Xu Bo suddenly lost focus. Uncle Li slammed the plate over him, pinned him to the floor, and grabbed the food, stuffing it into Xu Bo's mouth.
"Damn you! Have I been too nice to you? I've always treated you well. What did I ever do to make you treat me like this?"
"Don't you love eating? Here, I'll let you eat your fill!"
Even Xia Wanwan was stunned when Uncle Li, who normally seemed so honest and kindly, went berserk.
She clapped beside him through her tears.
Boohoo, Uncle Li is amazing! Beat him! Beat him!
The Small Kitchen was in utter chaos, with chickens flying and dogs leaping.
Led by a maid, Liu Wan and Lady Liu hurried over and were stunned by what they saw.
Uncle Li was beating Xu Bo senseless?
Veins bulged on Uncle Li's neck with rage, and his usually concealed arms sported great bulging muscles!
Uh...
Why on earth had Xu Bo provoked him?
Now his face was swollen and bruised, and several of his teeth had been knocked out.
Xia Wanwan crawled over crying and held out her chubby little hand, red from being struck, looking utterly aggrieved.
Heart aching, Liu Wan picked her up and gently blew on her little hand. "Sweetheart, tell Mother. Who hit you?"
Xia Wanwan's little mouth puckered, and she cried even louder. Pointing at Xu Bo, she buried herself in Mother's arms and sobbed breathlessly, her little shoulders trembling.
The sight made Liu Wan's and Lady Liu's hearts clench.
They had the servants separate Uncle Li and Xu Bo and asked what had happened.
Uncle Li spat on the ground and dusted himself off. "Madam, Miss, you shouldn't have had to come to a smoky place like the kitchen, but today, you must see justice done for the little miss, no matter what."
Her eyes red, Xia Wanwan nodded vigorously.
She couldn't have agreed more.
Mother, Xu Bo poisoned Uncle Li! That food has poison in it!
Boohoo, Wanwan doesn't want Uncle Li to die. His food is so yummy.
After hearing Uncle Li's account, Lady Liu immediately ordered Xu Bo seized in a fury.
Xu Bo's heart turned to dead ashes. He trembled all over, his face pale.
He was finished. He had poisoned that food, and Uncle Li had stuffed every bit into his mouth.
He coughed desperately but couldn't bring it back up. Now that Madam was here too, he felt certain he was going to die.
"You've truly got the gall of a dog! How dare you strike your master! Men, drag him out and beat him! Leave him one breath, then send him to the Government Office!"
Heart aching for her granddaughter, Lady Liu returned to the courtyard with Liu Wan, carrying Wanwan.
Before long, Uncle Li emerged from the Latrine, clutching his stomach.
And Xu Bo, who was being beaten, also...
"Urgh..."
The servants thought they had struck too hard and beaten Xu Bo into losing control of his bladder and bowels.
Covering their faces, they hurried to Madam for help.
"Madam, we may have beaten Xu Bo's guts to pieces. He's spraying as we hit him, and the whole rear courtyard stinks. Should we keep going?"
Remembering the soupy mess splashing everywhere with each blow of the clubs, the servant nearly vomited!
It truly stank!
Blow after blow felt as though they were striking warm cotton.
Then it splashed up, spattering people's faces...
Eww~
Lady Liu suppressed the smile tugging at her lips and said sternly, "Keep beating him. Don't let him use the Latrine. Send him to the Government Office when you're done!"
Liu Wan had guessed as well and exchanged a smile with Wang Xia.
In his study, Minister Liu beamed as he listened to the Hidden Guard's report.
All three thought it was their own handiwork.
Xu Bo was sent to the Government Office, but the Minister's Residence sent word that he was not to be tried until Liu Shi returned from distributing disaster relief.
So he was locked in the Jail, clutching his churning stomach and feeling fortunate to have survived a calamity.
Damn it, thank goodness that shopkeeper had swindled him and sold him laxatives.
Otherwise, he would have died.
Across from his cell, he seemed to spot a familiar figure lying on the floor with disheveled hair. He took a closer look.
"Third Master Xie! What a coincidence! I was looking for you today!"
Xie Jinzhao gave him a baleful glare. "So you came looking in the Jail?"
"No, I was arrested for poisoning Old Li!"
Xie Jinzhao: ...
Idiot!
How could Xu Rourou's father be such an idiot?
He had been sent to lie low in the Minister's Residence and gather information, yet for the past two years, his reports had been either that Old Li had stolen the limelight again or that the young master had gotten diarrhea from eating his food.
With even more time on his hands, he had investigated every member of the Liu Family's tastes in painstaking detail. He had even reported that Liu Ye hated cilantro while Liu Shi loved it, and the brothers had fought over it.
Now he couldn't even poison someone without being discovered and dragged to the Government Office. Xie Jinzhao had met fools before, but never one this foolish!
And this man just had to be Xu Rourou's father.
Xu Rourou had been delicate and sensible since childhood. How could she have a father like this?
Xie Jinzhao heaved a deep sigh. "Every officer here is a snob. They single me out for a beating every day. They've beaten my backside into bloom."
"They don't even beat murderers like this, but they insist on beating me."
"When my eldest brother gets back, I'll make him kill every last one of these snobs!"
Clutching his backside, Xie Jinzhao didn't dare move. Every movement hurt.
After hearing this, Xu Bo felt heat surge in his belly.
No, I can't hold it!
He found a corner and hastily squatted.
The stench drifted across, and Xie Jinzhao erupted in curses. "What the hell are you doing? Did you come to the Jail just to shit?"
"Sorry, Third Master! The laxative is just too strong!"
Pfft~
Liu Wan had the Residence Physician apply medicine to Xia Wanwan's hand. Xia Wanwan obediently held out her little hand, her face full of grievance.
The sight made Liu Wan's heart clench.
Lady Liu and Minister Liu also came with Xia Zhao and Liu Ye. Five or six members of the family gathered around Xia Wanwan.
Wanwan looked at them one by one and held out her arms for a hug.
Before Liu Wan could move, Lady Liu picked her up. "Grandmother's little darling, Uncle Li is fine. Grandmother has already punished Xu Bo and sent him to the Jail. Be good, don't be upset."
Xia Wanwan nodded and rested against Lady Liu's shoulder.
Liu Wan froze. She distinctly saw a smile at the little one's lips.
Hehe, I already knew Grandmother beat the crap out of Xu Bo. That really let me vent my anger, hehe.
As Liu Wan was smiling helplessly, Liu Ye patted her shoulder and beckoned her over.
A winter plum grew in Liu Ye's courtyard, standing tall and graceful, with proud, unyielding bones.
"Wan'er, when you went into the palace as a child, you brought back a branch and told me you were curious about the color of its blossoms."
"So I hired a gardener to plant it carefully. Who would have thought it would survive for over a decade without flowering? This year, the moment you returned, it developed buds. I imagine it will bloom this winter."
"If Zhao'er and I move to the Princess's Residence, there'll be no one to tend this plum tree. I was wondering whether to transplant it to the Marquis's Residence for you."
Liu Wan's gaze dimmed.
"There's no need."
"It's blooming far too late."
It should have bloomed five years ago!
Before you continue