Exorcising misfortune (repairing)
Qingwu was both shocked and frightened; her legs were weak and trembling uncontrollably, her face was ashen, and she murmured softly:
"This servant doesn't understand what Miss is saying..."
Lin Xu sneered, his eyes sparkling like evening stars, yet cold and devoid of any warmth.
"These past few months you've often brought me food, and every time I ate these snacks, especially the cherry cheese, it was clearly mixed with something else; it was so cloyingly sweet. Every time I ate it, I felt drowsy and sleepy. If you didn't secretly drug me, is there any other reason?"
After speaking, Lin Xu did not loosen his grip at all; on the contrary, he increased the pressure. His clear and piercing gaze merely swept over Qingwu once, causing her, who was already trembling, to freeze even more.
“You have served me since you were a child. If you confess everything now, I will spare your life.”
Qingwu saw the resolute look in Lin Xu's eyes—a look she knew all too well from years of service. Whenever her mistress wore that expression, she was certain she meant what she said. Now, she was clearly faced with only two paths: confession or certain death.
After a moment's thought, she finally just shook her head slowly, two lines of clear tears streaming down her face, her eyes filled with tears.
Lin Xu's voice became increasingly cold and aloof.
"Qi has only been in the household for a few months, yet you have betrayed your former master and obeyed her orders to secretly poison me. How dare you! Let me ask you, how effective is this poison?"
Miss... you knew all along.
Qingwu knelt down in fear and wept bitterly:
"The Qi family...the Qi family is threatening my father and brothers' lives. I really have no other choice...I know I have failed you, Miss, and I am filled with remorse...The Qi family gave me snow artemisia powder, although it is a very small dose, but if you take it every day, you will die in less than three months. I couldn't bear it...so I mixed honey and licorice into your food to counteract the poison of the snow artemisia. But if you take it for a long time, you will probably still gradually experience palpitations and become mentally impaired..."
No wonder.
No wonder I often had headaches in my past life. Sometimes, even when I wanted to read a book seriously, I would feel anxious and weak. It turned out that I had been plotted against by others.
Thinking of this, Lin Xu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he wasn't stupid by nature, so there was still hope for his revenge plan.
She glanced again at Qingwu, who was kneeling on the ground.
"When you were five years old, your family sold you into slavery for a pittance. I took you in when I was out shopping. To sell your own daughter and sister for a mere fifty coins—was it worth taking such a great risk?"
Qingwu huddled on the ground, a tiny ball of flesh, her voice barely audible.
"But they... are Qingwu's only family in this world."
She thought she was doomed to die. Perhaps the young lady, being kind-hearted, would spare her a proper burial.
The ancestral hall was paved with stone bricks, emanating a chilling aura. Her knees had grown numb from kneeling for so long, but after a long while, she heard a barely audible sigh from above.
"Alright, you've told me all about the Qi family's past conspiracies. I'll figure something out about your father and brothers."
.
On this day, as was customary, everyone in the mansion waited until Lin Fu finished his court session and then had dinner together in the Yuexue Hall.
Liang Zhengyuan had just played polo at noon and had some pastries to nourish himself. Lin Xu glanced at her listless cousin beside her and put down her chopsticks. Her eyes curved like the moon, "Did you catch a chill during the day and lose your appetite?"
Liang Zhengyuan has only been in the Lin family for half a year. All the men in his maternal grandfather's family are outstanding, but this fourth son of Liang, who is four years older than Lin Xu, loves to joke around all day.
Although Liang Si was handsome, it was rumored that he had gotten himself into a lot of trouble with women in Hecheng, which gave his maternal grandfather a lot of headaches. So his grandfather specially instructed Lin Fu to raise him in Mujing so that he could be strictly disciplined. Usually, he spent his days at the martial arts training ground, where he was taught by a special martial arts master. He was not often at home during the day.
As soon as Lin Xu asked, Lin Fu and Qi Shi at the dinner table looked over as if inquiring.
Liang Zhengyuan was a little embarrassed and laughed, "It's alright. Men only suffer from the heat. If you're healthy, you'll get through it. It's nothing serious."
Lin Fu had always liked this nephew, and as he spoke, he picked up a piece of lotus seedpod fish and put it into Liang Zhengyuan's bowl.
"Now that spring days are getting longer, it is indeed hotter than usual. Even if Ying is in good health, he needs to eat more cooling and thirst-quenching dishes to take good care of himself."
Qi responded with a timely smile:
"What you say is absolutely right, sir. I had the kitchen make these lotus seed dumplings earlier. They were made with fresh lotus seeds, and the mandarin fish cubes were simmered in honey over a low flame and then cooled for a long time to achieve this translucent color. All the ingredients used were water chestnuts and lotus seeds, which are cooling and refreshing. They have a sweet taste. Please try them, Yuanlang."
Qi was born into a butcher family in the north of the city, from a humble background, but she had been exposed to cooking from a young age and had become an excellent cook. Since entering the household, she had been very diligent in the kitchen every day, and she often cooked eight out of ten dishes herself. Over time, Lin Fu became more and more dependent on Qi's cooking skills and often asked for her signature dishes.
Lin Xu seemed to suddenly remember something, and stood up with a smile. Under everyone's gaze, she brought out a food plate from her room. On the plate was a bowl of crystal-clear plum soup, garnished with delicate crushed ice and fresh mint leaves, which tinkled as it was gently shaken.
“Aunt Qi is still the one who loves me the most. Not only does she prepare my favorite pastries every day, but since the beginning of spring, she has also provided me with refreshing iced drinks and snacks to help with digestion. I can’t enjoy them all by myself, so I’ve specially put them in the ice chest to keep them cold, just waiting for Father to come back so we can all enjoy them together.”
The lychee syrup in cool water nourishes yin and promotes the production of body fluids. The ice-filled container insulates against the heat; upon opening, the crystal-clear broth gleams with a refreshing sheen, releasing a gentle, cool steam. On sweltering days, nothing is more effective at relieving the oppressive heat.
Upon seeing the bowl of sweet soup, Madam Qi's expression suddenly changed, and she exclaimed urgently:
"If Xu'er likes it, I'll make more when I have time. Why bother bringing this lychee syrup? There aren't many portions anyway, it just makes people worry..."
Lin Xu, however, gestured for Qingwu to step forward and serve the lychee paste to everyone in bowls, his demeanor calm and collected.
“Auntie, that’s unfair of you. I know you favor me, but how can I not let someone have a taste? My cousin is tired and has lost his appetite. A bite of this cool drink will be the most refreshing and cleansing.”
Lin Fu, who always indulged Lin Xu, remained silent, only shaking his head with a smile. Seeing the glistening and delicious lychee paste, Liang Zhengyuan picked up the bowl in front of him and took a small sip. Instantly, a smile spread across his face: "Refreshing and delicious, truly delightful!"
Lin Fu then picked up the lychee paste in front of him, about to taste it.
Qi suppressed her fear and gently advised, "The ice chest is extremely cold, and the master's body cannot withstand the cold. It would be better to leave it for a while until the ice melts before putting it in."
Lin Fu smiled and waved his hand, saying it was no problem.
Seeing that everyone had tasted the lychee paste and praised Qi's cooking skills, Lin Xu looked at Qi with a beaming expression, a smile almost overflowing from his eyes:
"That's great! Everyone loves Auntie's cooking. From now on, these desserts won't be the only ones available at my Luoya Residence."
Qi stared blankly at Lin Xu, feeling that his eyes were as deep as the sea, shimmering with a chilling light, as if he wanted to trap her at the bottom of that abyss, leaving her unable to move.
She unconsciously tightened her throat, breaking out in a cold sweat—
Who said that this girl was so dull and ignorant that she would never notice?
Snow wormwood powder is highly poisonous, but she dared not take the risk, only adding a tiny amount to Lin Xu's meals each day. Lin Xu had a sweet tooth, so she also made extra desserts and sent them to Lin Xu's room daily. In just a few months, even if she didn't die, she would become mentally impaired.
Lin Fu was busy with government affairs, and Liang Zhengyuan was rarely in the residence; they could have made a perfect cover-up...
How could she have discovered it out of the blue?!
The more Qi thought about it, the angrier she became. She forced herself to keep a straight face and not lash out, but she didn't forget to give Qingwu a fierce glare in her haste.
It's clearly this woman who's unreliable and ruined her grand plans!
Qi Shuang'er suppressed her hatred and looked at Lin Xu again. He still had a smiling face, as if everything was normal and he had no intention of exposing her. But upon closer inspection, however, his expression was quite different from usual, and there was a clear slyness in his eyes.
That's really strange.
But she really couldn't figure out Lin Xu's temperament now. There were rumors in the manor that her personality had changed drastically a while ago. She had never taken it seriously then, but now she couldn't help but feel a jolt in her heart. In her panic, she was racking her brains for words and countermeasures when she saw the person in front of her place the bowl and chopsticks on the table and suddenly become serious.
"Father, there is actually another request I have."
A breeze swept through the courtyard, carrying the evening's oppressive heat and the fresh scent of the grass and trees. The banana trees had grown lush and verdant, their leaves damp and slightly misty.
Lin Fu stared blankly at his daughter, subconsciously repeating the last syllable he had just heard.
"The person I admire...?"
A few strands of hair clung gently to Lin Xu's neck due to the rising steam, making her long, slender neck appear even more striking. She spoke with her eyes lowered, as if shyly bowing her head, but her tone was resolute and firm, sounding more like a solemn vow.
Under everyone's gaze, she nodded shyly.
“Your daughter already has someone she likes. But I know I have no skills at the moment, so I ask that you, Father, grant me permission to hire a few tutors to come to the manor to teach me. If I make progress in the future, I am sure that when I marry someone, I will not make you lose face.”
The Lin family had been known for its virtuous lineage for generations, placing great importance on their children's upbringing. Lin Xu had even hired expensive tutors to teach her when she was young. However, in her previous life, she was exceptionally unruly and drove away several tutors, so the tutoring program was abandoned.
It's certainly a good thing that he wants to resume his studies now. However, hearing Lin Xu's words, which seemed to suggest that he was determined to be worthy of his ideal husband, Lin Fu couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
"Then, Xu'er, could you tell your father which young master this person you admire is referring to?"
"The men of the Dou family are refined and cultured—"
Lin Xu gently raised her head, without the slightest hesitation, as if she had already prepared her answer. In her eyes, a soft light shimmered, sparkling like starlight.
“It is truly what my daughter’s heart desires.”
In the entire capital, only the Dou family could be considered truly distinguished.
Dou Huaisheng had served in the court for many years, but remained unknown. His writings, however, were outstanding, and I had even spoken highly of him in court. Moreover, I had recently heard that the Dou family had allied themselves with the imperial son-in-law Liao Qian and had just been promoted to the position of Grand Historian, enjoying great influence. They were considered a reliable family.
Lin Fu composed himself and remembered that Dou Huaisheng did indeed have a legitimate son, Dou Yanzhou, who was just over twenty years old. He had briefly met him in the court and found him to be a man of exceptional talent and elegance.
Then I felt a little more at ease.
He picked up the cup on the table, took a sip of tea, and was about to speak when Lin Xu, as if understanding his father's thoughts, added half a sentence:
"The man my daughter wants to marry is Dou Yanxun, the second son of the Dou family."
Lin Fu's hand holding the cup paused slightly, almost spilling the tea.
.
Inside Yilan Garden.
The Boshan incense burner emitted a faint glow of fine blended incense. Qi Shuang'er's eyebrows furrowed as she idly played with the round fan in her hand.
The maid, Zuizhi, diligently massaged her calves with just the right amount of pressure, but seeing that Madam Qi remained frowning, she whispered:
"Madam Qi, why make yourself suffer? Miss's words and actions are clearly as dull as ever. I don't think she really knows the secret behind that dessert. Today was just a lucky accident."
Qi Shuang'er then raised her eyebrows and couldn't help but sneer:
"I was really worried before, thinking that this girl might have something to say, but I didn't expect her to be so serious. She actually took a fancy to that guy from the Dou family. It's really absurd."
"That's right. Everyone in Mujing City knows that the Dou family has two sons. The eldest son is as strong as the wind, and the second son is as weak as a reed. The eldest son is noble and handsome, but the second son... well, he was born out of wedlock, so he was not favored from childhood. It is said that he was raised in the northern frontier for a long time before being brought back a few years ago."
Seeing that no one was around, Zuizhi lowered her voice and whispered in Qi Shi's ear:
"...And, I've also heard that he hasn't changed his philandering ways since returning to the capital. He's often drunk and a regular at brothels."
"really?"
Qi heard it clearly, and felt a sense of satisfaction.
Having been in the Lin family for several months, she had previously heard rumors that the Lin family was sparsely populated, with only an incompetent legitimate daughter who was not worth mentioning. However, after spending time with her day and night, she came to believe that the rumors were true.
However, for some reason, she has been feeling her brow twitching lately, as if something is amiss.
Especially Lin Xu's words at dinner tonight, the probing between the lines, really didn't seem like a coincidence. But if she were truly intelligent and discreet, why would she want to marry that dissolute playboy? And why would she be so serious, begging for the master's favor?
Qi pondered and pondered, but felt increasingly confused and unable to grasp the key points.
"Although Qingwu is a bit lacking in skill, her father and brothers are in my hands, so I doubt she would dare to cause trouble."
Finally, she rubbed her chest, raised her leg impatiently, and told Zuizhi to stop.
"Go to Huanshui Village tomorrow and find out what's going on. See if the Qingwu family is still behaving themselves."
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