Fear (revised)
...The Second Master returned only a short while ago before turning around and going out again for social engagements. Even though his schedule was busy, he should at least have gone back to the villa to rest or send a message. Putting aside everything else, even when the First Master had time to invite the First Son to go out together, it would take a full half incense stick's time.
Moreover, although it was supposed to be a banquet, the eldest son's family, even with his pregnancy, never missed a single appearance. Yet, the second master alone refused to even inform them...
Zhu Ling couldn't help but feel indignant as she thought about it.
Fangxing had only been serving in front of the palace for a few days, but she thought she had gained Lin Xu's favor and became exceptionally clever, just when she was eager to stand out.
Seeing that Zhu Ling's face had turned slightly pale, Fang Xing stepped forward and said sweetly:
"Actually, Madam should comfort you."
Before she finished speaking, Lin Xu looked at her.
Fangxing raised her cheeks even higher, bowed slightly, and then continued:
"I speak frankly, and I hope Madam will not take it too seriously. Although Second Master was also a master in the household before, please forgive my bluntness, with First Master setting such an example—being both the legitimate son and of excellent character—it's natural that Second Master's goodness doesn't resonate with Master and Madam. In the past, it was fine; Second Master merely held a minor post in the yamen, sharing some of the Dou family's responsibilities. But today, it can be said to be an excellent turning point—"
"In other words, if the Second Master and his wife can seize this opportunity, they will no longer have to live a life of subservience and having to be subservient to others."
Even though she knew Lin Xu had ulterior motives in keeping Fang Xing by her side, so that she could better expose her true colors, Zhu Ling's heart still pounded wildly as she watched Fang Xing speak so openly even in front of Lin Xu.
What... what is the background of this girl?
Lin Xu remained unfazed upon hearing this, and looked at Fang Xing's delicate round face, his smile deepening.
She took a few steps forward with a meaningful look, slowly approaching Fangxing. Her voice was very low, but a pleasant, very faint fragrance wafted from her as she drew nearer.
Fangxing couldn't help but sniffle, then calmly looked at Lin Xu and whispered:
"Since you are so confident and have such a well-thought-out plan, you must have already reached a conclusion. Then please speak freely."
Fangxing opened her mouth, but glanced to the side without making a sound.
Zhu Ling felt a surge of anger. Fang Xing was indeed no pushover; she was actually signaling to the Madam that everyone should back off. Even she had to be wary of her.
But in front of Lin Xu, she couldn't vent her anger and had to swallow it down.
Seeing Lin Xu nod slightly at her, Zhu Ling could only lower her head and nod, then retreated with the two gatekeepers.
The beaded curtain hanging in front of the door slowly fell down, and the hall became quiet, with only Fangxing's soft breathing remaining.
Her eyes shone brightly as she met Lin Xu's probing gaze, then she gave a respectful curtsy. Fang raised her chin and said:
"Madam, Fangxing believes that although the Second Master is a son of a concubine, he is not entirely at a disadvantage in this household. The fact that the Master was willing to take the Second Master out for social engagements today is one such signal."
Lin Xu looked at Fang Xing standing in front of him. Her posture was neither humble nor arrogant, and she was by no means an ordinary person.
She smiled but remained silent, only slightly raising her eyebrows, quietly waiting for Fangxing to speak.
"Firstly, the officials we met today must hold important positions and wield significant power in the court. Otherwise, they would not have been able to persuade the current Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, who is in charge of personnel matters in the court, to come to our invitation. Secondly, the Master must have put a lot of effort into inviting this colleague to the banquet, in order to seek a close relationship and arrange for future collaboration. Otherwise, he would not have gone to such lengths to have the pregnant and immobile eldest son of the main wife accompany him to the banquet. Bringing Lang Ge'er along is probably for the same reason."
"Go on."
"And today's banquet, with the master's approval, Second Master went along. This shows that in the master's mind, Second Master is not a good-for-nothing, idle playboy. On the contrary, he can certainly help the master's political career on important occasions."
Lin Xu smiled knowingly, becoming even more engrossed. "In your opinion, is it possible to deduce the identity of the person who hosted the banquet?"
Fangxing lowered her head, "This servant has lived in the inner quarters for a long time and is unaware of court affairs. I am not as intelligent and resourceful as Madam. I cannot guess who it is."
Before she could finish speaking, Lin Xu had already strolled up to her side.
A pair of gentle yet strong hands lifted Fangxing's buried face. Lin Xu smiled gently, but her eyes shimmered with a subtle, captivating light.
“Aunt Zhen is truly remarkable; she has managed to train such a sharp and quick-witted maid. Fangxing, it’s a pity you’re following me.”
These words were originally a test.
However, it was only to probe Fangxing's reaction and then trick her into revealing the mastermind behind it all.
But the person opposite her didn't react as she expected. Instead of hurriedly explaining that her actions weren't at Aunt Zhen's behest, or that she hadn't received any instructions from anyone else, she simply raised her head calmly, looked at Lin Xu, and explained gently:
“This servant had no intention of harming you, Madam. A few days ago, I did tamper with the two parrots you kept, but it was only to protect you—to avoid a greater disaster.”
However, those few words were enough to startle Lin Xu.
Her hand, which had been stroking Fangxing's face, faltered for a moment, then unconsciously tightened its grip, pressing against Fangxing's eyes:
"What a joke. What a smooth-talking girl. Why do you say such things? Whose side are you on, and who are you working for?"
Fangxing curtsied gently, her expression respectful, without the slightest hint of evasion:
"Madam, please do not be afraid. This servant has never dared to disobey her mistress. She is only concerned about your safety and is trying to protect you. This servant is an obedient servant and thinks the same way."
Lin Xu recalled that she had sent Zhu Ling to secretly inquire about Fang Xing's past.
Fangxing hadn't been in the household for very long. She had been assigned to serve in Consort Zhen's room, but she only did odd jobs and wasn't considered a prominent maid. Consort Zhen was usually very low-key in the Dou household, rarely venturing out, and even her servants and others rarely recognized her.
Before the end of the year, Bai discussed with the household steward the adjustment of personnel in each courtyard, making slight changes. She said that there were not enough people to serve in the other courtyards before, but now that the second branch of the family had started their own family, more people should be assigned to serve them. So, a few more people were added from various places.
Lin Xu had long suspected Bai Shi, so the newcomers naturally weren't assigned much close-serving work. Except for Fang Xing, whose behavior was particularly suspicious, the rest of the group were given a brief lesson by Granny Qin and then settled in various parts of the other courtyard.
Looking back now, perhaps Fangxing deliberately gave herself away from the moment she was assigned to the other courtyard, in order to attract her attention.
Lin Xu then turned around to examine Fang Xing's expression, only to see that she calmly took something out of her bosom and handed it to Lin Xu.
It was a neatly embroidered purse with dense stitches and intricate lotus scroll patterns. Apart from that, there was nothing unusual about it.
Lin Xu took the purse without understanding why, but his expression froze when his fingertips touched the soft fabric.
It was a silk fabric that was unique in Manmujing, soft and gentle to the touch.
Her fingers trembled uncontrollably.
Those were clearly things she had spent every day with in her past life, things that would be sent to her like clouds whenever she casually uttered a coquettish remark, things that were priceless and hard for the world to obtain.
It is also the kind of fabric that, once worn, makes one never look at any other, making it the most sought-after and beloved item among the imperial nobles.
But those precious things had long been lost in her memory.
In a daze, I heard Fangxing softly say beside me:
"The head of the family is concerned about your safety, so he specially sent Fangxing to infiltrate the Dou family to protect you in secret."
Lin Xu felt a ringing in his ears and could barely stand.
How could this be? How could this be—
Such exquisite weaving and embroidery has always been produced by only one company in the capital, and only the Zhou family silk weaving, which enjoys a prestigious reputation as an imperial merchant, can possess such superb craftsmanship.
It was him...
Fang Xing was actually a man sent by Zhou Weikan! She had been secretly hiding in the Dou residence all along.
But why him of all people?
Long-buried memories gradually came alive, surging within her chest. She hadn't thought of them for a very long time.
She thought she had forgotten everything.
But now, just recalling those past events again makes her heart pound like a drum, and she feels incredibly nervous, almost unable to breathe.
It was him.
Memories that have been buried in my heart for so long, even the slightest thought of them causes a dull ache in my heart.
She would never forget that in her past life, the Zhou family's fortunes plummeted after the Lin family's downfall, and because the two families were nominally related by marriage, their status as imperial merchants was also revoked.
As she wandered aimlessly as a spirit, she heard gloating passersby say more than once that the young master of the Zhou family, unable to accept the bad news because he missed his deceased fiancée, went mad overnight and became like a madman, no longer possessing the elegant and graceful demeanor of his former self.
She listened to all the rumors in a daze, tears streaming down her face, her heart aching with pain.
She couldn't believe that Zhou Weikan had gone mad for her, but there was nothing she could do. Her soul was trapped above the Lin family's residence, unable to verify anything.
Even if she were truly free to move at the time, she probably still wouldn't have been able to bring herself to go and investigate the Zhou family.
He used to love her so much.
He had a family of wealth and honor, and a respectable life, but he lost everything in one night. Such a perfect person, as pure and upright as a gentle breeze and a bright moon, all the misfortunes that happened to him were simply because he loved her.
So since her rebirth, she has retreated step by step, even if her life will never be intertwined with his again, even if they are separated by mountains and seas and become like strangers, it doesn't matter—
As long as he lives a peaceful and safe life, that's enough.
Whether she was in his life or not was not important.
But... why, even though she ran away again and again, even when they met, did she remain unmoved, unwilling to speak to him, unwilling to be close to him, why did she ultimately...
He still has feelings for her? Why?!
Even though she never responded. Even though she was already married.
Surprisingly, he still remembered her.
Lin Xu was filled with a turbulent mind and felt a sharp pain in his chest. When he came to his senses, he was suddenly dizzy and almost leaned forward uncontrollably.
Fangxing, who was standing to the side, quickly caught her.
Lin Xu looked down and felt a cool sensation on her lips.
She looked at the ground in disbelief. On the thick, dark brown carpet with its floral and auspicious patterns, a single scarlet bloodstain stood out starkly against the otherwise plain backdrop.
"The reason I put the insignificant powder of wild herbs on the parrot was not to cause trouble in secret. It was just that I was having trouble getting close to you, so I wanted to find an excuse to indirectly remind you and deter those lurking in the shadows. In such a deep mansion as the Dou family, everyone is highly skilled. You may not have noticed, but someone has been lurking in the shadows, harboring wicked thoughts towards you."
It's poisoning again...
Lin Xu watched as the bloodstain on the carpet quickly spread, almost completely seeping into the intricate pattern.
It blends seamlessly with the carpet's original color, making it difficult to distinguish.
She had caught a cold during this time and was bedridden. She had initially thought it was just a common high fever caused by exhaustion. Now it seems that the damage had seeped into her lungs and internal organs.
Lin Xu broke out in a cold sweat, and in an instant, all sorts of thoughts flashed through his mind.
It wasn't Fangxing, nor Nongyu; the two people she had most suspected before now seemed to have nothing to do with this matter. But this time, who could it be?
She suddenly raised her head and looked into Fangxing's worried and concerned eyes.
In the past, in the Lin family mansion, Qi Shuang'er took advantage of Qingwu's love for sweets and secretly instructed her to poison the food. However, in her previous life, she was completely unaware of this and gradually became more and more foolish as the poison penetrated deeper.
But now, she had already seen through Qi Shuang'er's methods. The instigator should be lying in the Lin mansion, emaciated and unable to get close to her. This was something she had just witnessed last time.
As for Qingwu... the person who was closest to her besides her mother passed away so suddenly and unexpectedly. Her once vibrant figure turned into a handful of yellow earth and has been sleeping underground ever since.
In the Dou family mansion, she had been married in for less than a year, so who would see her as a thorn in their side?
Fangxing seemed to sense her doubts; her face was filled with worry, yet her gaze remained resolute.
“This servant obeyed the master’s orders and swore to protect Madam with my life. That’s why I was particularly concerned about Madam’s situation in the manor. Ever since Madam dealt with your cousin’s matter a few days ago, your health has deteriorated. At first, this servant did not suspect anything, but you drank medicinal food every day for several days, and you should have recovered by now. On the contrary, your health did not improve and your condition worsened, which made this servant think – and thus I deduced that someone was doing something despicable to you in secret.”
Seeing Lin Xu's eyes tremble slightly, Fang Xing rummaged through her sleeve again and pulled out a small piece that looked like dried medicinal herbs.
Upon closer inspection, the small, yellowish-brown pot was thin and nearly shriveled, emitting a faint smell of Chinese medicine.
"This is what I found in the dregs left over from the medicine that Madam drank. The fruit of the wild herb is very easy to confuse with other medicinal materials. Although the powdered branches and leaves are poisonous, they are not even a fraction as poisonous as this fruit. If ingested, it will cause mental confusion, incoherent speech, and internal bleeding. In severe cases, it will cause uncontrollable convulsions and death within half a month."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xu remained silent.
He suffered from severe convulsions and died within half a month.
Who exactly... hates her so deeply?
Her mind involuntarily drifted to all the things that had happened to her recently, and to all the people she had met. Perhaps the person who had poisoned her was hiding among those concerned faces.
The man remained hidden in the shadows, watching her drink bowl after bowl of tonics, watching her lose her appetite and sleep, her fear still lingering.
Who could it be?
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