As the inky dusk quietly drifted over the carved and painted eaves of the Zhuangyuan Mansion, casting a veil of mystery over the festive residence, Jiang Yan sat alone in his study, lost in thought as he stared at the marriage certificate, emblazoned with vibrant red and gold, on the table. This certificate bore the deep affection between him and Su Jinli, as well as their hopes for their future life. Su Jinli's birth date and time were beautifully and neatly written, each stroke imbued with her unique gentleness and spirit. At the end, she had playfully added a little rabbit, its tongue sticking out, adding a touch of liveliness and endearment to the solemn certificate. Jiang Yan's fingertips gently stroked the rabbit's tail, as if, through the delicate touch, he could sense Su Jinli's charming smile as she penned the letter.
Just as Jiang Yan was lost in these sweet thoughts, a gentle, rhythmic knock suddenly emanated from outside the window—three short, one long taps. This was the code he used to communicate with his secret guards. Jiang Yan raised his eyebrows slightly, his expression instantly becoming alert.
"Master." A figure in black crouched quietly under the eaves like a ghost, his voice low and respectful. "Princess Pingyang secretly met with her bridesmaid Liu today and gave her a ten-liang silver ingot."
Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed across Jiang Yan's previously focused gaze. He slowly lowered the marriage certificate, and the rice paper pressed against it by the black jade paperweight made a slight, crisp sound, as if forewarning of the impending turmoil. "Auntie Liu? Is she the one appointed by the Prime Minister's Mansion?" His voice was steady and powerful, carrying an undeniable authority.
"Yes," the guard replied briefly and affirmatively, then handed over a wax pill. "This is the powder we found in the secret compartment of Madam Liu's dresser. It smells sweet and fishy."
Jiang Yan took the wax ball, placed it in his palm and squeezed it gently. The wax ball opened easily, revealing a brown powder the size of a fingernail. He put his nose close to the tip of his nose and smelled it, and couldn't help but frowning slightly. The smell was very similar to the "Xie Liqing" from Lingnan. He knew very well that although this medicine was not fatal, it could cause vomiting and diarrhea, which was extremely painful and enough to ruin a carefully planned wedding. At this moment, his mind suddenly emerged with the joke that Su Jinli said during the day: "Tomorrow is the wedding, and if anyone does something bad, I will carry an abacus to ruin the place." Thinking of this, Jiang Yan's mouth corners couldn't help but rise slightly, but a trace of worry surged in his heart.
"Prepare the horses." Jiang Yan stood up quickly, the hem of his moon-white brocade robe brushing the wedding wine cups on the table with a crisp clink. "To the Prime Minister's residence." His tone was firm and decisive, his steps steady and powerful, each step seeming to tread upon the veins of conspiracy, ready to sever it once and for all.
Meanwhile, in the west wing of the Prime Minister's residence, Su Jinli sat leisurely at her dressing table, letting Lingge twist her hair. The silver thread gently slid across her cheek, causing a slight sting that made her grimace. "Gentle! Pull any further and I'll turn into the Browless Hero!" Su Jinli said with feigned anger, but there was a hint of playfulness in her voice.
"Miss." Lingge couldn't help but burst out laughing, and the ball of thread in her hand swayed. "Liu Ma just brought some soothing soup. She said drinking it will help you put on makeup tomorrow."
As she spoke, Lingge gently placed a copper enamel soup bowl on the dressing table. In the bowl, amber soup was steaming and exuding a faint fragrance. However, Su Jinli stared at the bowl of soup, her eyes gradually becoming solemn. Her thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the eve of her wedding in her previous life. It was the same Liu Ma who also brought her a bowl of sweet soup. After drinking it without any precautions, she vomited and had diarrhea. She was so weak that she almost didn't have the strength to even attend the wedding ceremony. That painful memory was like a thorn, deeply piercing her heart. At this moment, looking at the bowl of soup in front of her, her doubts became even stronger.
Su Jinli's fingertips gently tapped the rim of the bowl, making a crisp sound, and she simultaneously gave Lingge a subtle look. Lingge, ever so quick-witted, understood instantly. She feigned an unintentional slip, her grip on the bowl suddenly loosening. With a clang, the bowl slammed heavily to the floor, splashing the brown broth onto the blue bricks and eerily emitting wisps of white steam.
This sudden change caused Auntie Liu, who was outside the door, to rush in. When she saw the broken pieces of the bowl and the steaming soup on the ground, her face turned pale as paper, and her lips trembled involuntarily. "Miss! Are you okay?" Auntie Liu's voice was filled with fear and panic, as if she was afraid Su Jinli would notice something.
"It's okay." Su Jinli remained calm, brushing the hem of her skirt gently as if what had just happened was a trivial matter. "It's just that this soup...why does it have a strange smell?" She frowned slightly, staring intently at Liu Ma, trying to find a flaw in her expression.
Seeing this, Aunt Liu became more and more panicked. She quickly knelt down with a plop and said in a trembling voice: "Old slave... Old slave added some licorice... Maybe the taste is a little stronger." She lowered her head, not daring to look directly into Su Jinli's eyes. Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides, and her knuckles turned white from the force.
"Oh?" Su Jinli slowly squatted down, picked up a broken piece of bowl, and put it to her nose to sniff. "But it smells like 'Xie Li Qing' to me." Her voice was not loud, but it was like a hammer, hitting Liu Ma's heart hard.
At this moment, Jiang Yan walked into the house in a hurry with big strides, followed by Su Xiang with a sullen face and glaring eyes.
"Jiang Yan? Why are you here?" Su Jinli raised her eyebrows slightly, with a hint of surprise and confusion in her eyes.
Jiang Yan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked directly to the broken pieces of the bowl, squatted down, picked up a piece, and held it to his nose to sniff carefully. Then, he suddenly raised his head, his eyes piercing Liu Ma, and shouted, "Tell me! Who ordered you to do this?" His voice was as loud as thunder, carrying an irresistible intimidation.
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