Chapter 117: Poisonous Soup
"Ah Cheng, you should eat and drink as you please. Don't be restrained. This will be your home from now on."
Qian wore the gentlest smile on her face, and spoke softly, as if the previous farce had never happened. "Now that Ahu is back, why don't we call a few elders from the clan? As long as they can prove that Ahu really has a daughter like you, we will quickly enter her into the family tree."
Su Cheng remained calm, not a trace of fear visible on her face. "That's good, so that people won't think my background is unknown. If we want to find out if we're related by blood, the only reliable way is a blood test."
Qian paused, and looked at her with a hint of suspicion and inquiry in her eyes.
This little bitch is so calm and composed, could she really be Zhao Hu's biological daughter?
But Zhao Hu was already in his early forties. He had been obsessed with fighting and was only interested in gaining military merit. It had never been heard that he had any love-hate relationship with any woman. How could he suddenly have such a big daughter?
Besides, Su Cheng doesn't look like Zhao Hu at all...
Zhao Hu pursed his lips and smiled, his eyes frighteningly cold, "Are you questioning my ability, sister-in-law?"
"Of course not." Qian was nervous for a moment and waved her hands repeatedly to deny it. "I just wanted to give an explanation to the elders in the clan. A blood test is always more reliable."
"Father, Auntie is right." Su Cheng smiled and looked at the man beside him, his tone calm, "Only when I can prove that I am indeed the daughter of the second wife can Auntie be assured of handing the household affairs over to me."
"Yes, yes, yes..." Qian's smile froze a little. Due to Zhao Hu's presence, she had no choice but to nod. "Ahu is the head of the family. If there is a successor to the second branch, the power of housekeeper must be handed over. I will send someone to find the tutor tomorrow morning to teach Acheng the etiquette and rules."
"Grandma! Grandma, something's wrong!"
The maid rushed into the hall in a hurry, disturbing everyone's attention.
"What are you yelling about?" Qian's face was gloomy, and she glared at her fiercely. "What kind of occasion is this? How dare you say such unlucky words?"
The maid quickly knelt on the ground, trembling like a sieve. "I know I'm wrong, but I really have something urgent to report!"
Qian sighed softly, frowned, and asked, "What happened?"
The maid lowered her head, not daring to look at her master. "Master Ying vomited blood and fainted. When he was found, even his lips were black and purple!"
Qian was stunned and couldn't come back to her senses for a long time.
Zhao Sheng'er stood up suddenly, knocking over the teacup beside her. She was so frightened that she was at a loss for words, and her face was extremely bad. "What did you say...Where is my brother now?"
"Master Ying has been taken to Hengxiang Hospital. Someone has been sent to find a doctor."
Zhao Sheng'er's eyes went dark. If the maid beside her hadn't quickly helped her, she would have fallen to the ground. "Brother... I want to go find my brother..."
After she finished speaking, she shook off the maid's hand and stumbled out.
"My son..." Qian murmured softly. Seeing Zhao Sheng'er running out, she hurriedly got up and chased after her.
A quarter of an hour later, everyone in the Zhao family gathered at Hengxiang Courtyard. After waiting for an unknown amount of time, they finally saw the doctor leave.
"Doctor!" Qian was the first to step forward, blocking the doctor's way. Her eyes were filled with deep sorrow. "He was fine just now. How could he suddenly vomit blood and pass out?"
The doctor shook his head and sighed, then spoke softly, "The young master has vomited a lot of dirty blood and filth. The blood is purple-black, a clear sign of poisoning. I've given him medicine. Whether he can wake up depends on his fate."
"Poisoned?" Zhao Sheng'er grasped the key point and clenched the handkerchief in her hand. "My brother's food and drink are always recorded by the servants. Besides, he didn't leave the house today, and he didn't eat anything bad. How could he be poisoned?"
"My daughter is right, doctor, did you see it wrong?" Qian's face was pale, and tears welled up in her red and swollen eyes. "Besides, today is a family dinner, and all our close relatives are here. Who would harm their own child?"
After saying that, Zhao Sheng'er seemed to have thought of something. She turned around and looked at Su Cheng who was silently eating melon, her eyes full of bloodshot, "Is it you... are you the one who harmed my brother!"
Su Cheng was stunned for a moment, then laughed angrily, raised his finger and pointed at himself, "Suspect me? Did your brain get licked by a donkey?"
Zhao Hu glanced at her calmly and said in a low voice, "Zhao Sheng'er, do you have any evidence for what you said?"
"Who else could it be if not her? Who in our family would harm Ying'er!" Zhao Sheng'er was furious, wishing she could fight Su Cheng to the death. "You've just arrived and you're trying to steal my mother's credit, afraid that our family will threaten your position. You won't even let go of a child as young as Ying'er. Don't forget, this family's surname is Zhao, not Su!"
Zhao Sheng'er spoke with great confidence, as if it were a serious matter.
Su Cheng sneered and looked at her with interest, "The doctor is here, why not let him check your brain? I was in the hall the whole time and didn't move around. What gives you the right to doubt me? Do you want to accuse me of such a serious crime with empty words?" "Shut up." Qian was trembling all over, and it was difficult for her to maintain her previous gentle and loving appearance. She glared at Su Cheng hatefully and shouted, "Come here, go and check who Ying'er met today and what he ate and drank. Anyone who knows about it but doesn't report it will be expelled from the house!"
Qian was probably so angry that she didn't even take Zhao Hu, the head of the family, seriously and gave orders directly over him.
"Look carefully, who are the servants who obey her orders?"
Su Cheng's voice came from his ear. Zhao Hu said nothing. He glanced around and remembered clearly the look of the servant who ignored him.
Half an hour later, the maid who had seen Zhao Ying before was brought up.
"Master, please spare me, Grandma, please spare me!" The little maidservant was not very courageous to begin with, and now seeing so many people in the yard, she was so frightened that she couldn't even stand up.
Qian stared at her eyes, not wanting to miss any of her expressions. "Just tell me what Ying'er ate."
The little maid raised her head and whispered, "I don't know what Master Ying ate at the family banquet. I just happened to run into him behind the rocky hill. He asked me what I was holding, and I told him the truth. I said that it was a soup specially prepared by the eldest lady for Miss Su. Master Ying heard it, picked up the soup and drank most of it without saying a word, and then..."
The little maidservant may have sensed something was wrong, and her voice became softer as she spoke.
Qian's expression was stiff, and she stood there for a moment, not knowing how to react.
She could clearly feel that all eyes in the yard were on her, some were mocking, some were sympathetic, and some were gloating.
"How dare you slander my mother, you slut!" Zhao Sheng'er also noticed something was wrong at this time. Her resentful eyes fell on the little maid. Without saying a word, she raised her foot and kicked her hard in the chest. "What are you still standing there for? Why don't you drag this crazy girl away and give her a hundred lashes!"
One hundred boards.
The little maid looked to be only about ten years old, dark and thin. She was probably not going to survive after being beaten with a stick.
Hearing this, the little maidservant seemed to be frightened and dared not move.
"Wait." Su Cheng walked to her side, blocking several servants with his body, with a cold look in his eyes, "She is a witness, I don't think any of you dare to touch her."
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