Bedtime reading
"You drank it too?"
The light and smiling words sounded like the verdict of Yama to He San.
Seeing He San's face stiffen into a mask that would shatter at the slightest blow, even the veins on his forehead twitching, Cheng Yayin chuckled softly, leaned back in her chair, and said coldly, "He's got his intestines pierced and his stomach ruptured. I don't think this punishment is unfair for someone who betrayed his master and poisoned him. Don't you agree?"
This sentence shattered He San's last line of defense. Tears of fear rolled down his eyes like a broken dam. He cried and kowtowed repeatedly begging for mercy: "Madam, please spare my life. It was a moment of confusion that made me make a big mistake. Please spare my life!"
Cheng Yayin gestured to Jian Zhu to hold him back, lifted his tear-stained face, and said calmly, "If you want me to forgive you, tell me the whole story honestly."
So He San explained the reason for the incident while sobbing.
Half a year ago, Liu Chang, the youngest son of Lord Zhongyi, drank too much in a restaurant and broke the leg of a waiter who accidentally bumped into him.
Liu Chang was an uneducated and well-known playboy in Shengjing. He got the position of Yihui Xiaowei by relying on the merits of his ancestors. However, he still acted carelessly during his tenure. Not only was he negligent in his duties, but he also provoked and beat civilians. It was really infuriating.
Pei Songsheng then filed a memorial to the emperor, reporting the incident. The emperor was reportedly furious, not only dismissing Liu Chang from his post but also punishing the Earl of Zhongyi for his poor parenting. The Earl of Zhongyi's mansion became a laughingstock in Shengjing, and it's said that the Earl of Zhongyi was so enraged that he beat his son so badly that he couldn't get out of bed for a month.
Liu Chang was quite absurd. He had clearly misbehaved and was punished, but he blamed Pei Songsheng for his dismissal and beating. He had his men find He San, promised him money, gave him poison, and taught him how to poison him without leaving any trace.
"Poisoning an imperial official is a serious crime. Are you willing to take this risk just for a little money?" Cheng Yayin asked suspiciously.
He San hesitated for a moment and muttered, "I owe a huge gambling debt. The gambling house owner said that if I can't pay it back within half a month, he will kill my mother... When I was desperate, I happened to run into someone from the Loyalty Earl's Mansion. He said that if I did what he said, he would help me pay off my gambling debt. I really have no other choice..."
As expected, Cheng Yayin laughed in anger. Jian Zhu was extremely angry when he heard this and kicked He San hard. "You bastard, not only are you greedy for money and gamble, but you also colluded with the villain to poison the adults. You deserve to die!"
He San took a kick from him, not daring to utter a single word. He raised his finger to Cheng Yayin and swore, "Madam, I swear, when that person gave me the medicine, he repeatedly assured me that it was not a poison that would kill people. It would only give you some minor ailments like a headache or a fever. I really didn't know it would be so serious. If I had known it was a poison that would kill people, I would have asked the gambling house to chop my whole family into pieces, and I would not have dared to poison you!"
Cheng Yayin glared at him coldly without saying anything.
She had also heard what He San had said about Pei Songsheng impeaching Liu Chang. She had heard it from her father when she was visiting him at Cheng Mansion.
Coincidentally, Liu Chang had also been a student of my father's, and he and Pei Songsheng had been classmates for a period of time. However, Liu Chang was a difficult person to carve out. Not only was he completely lacking in intelligence, he was also unlearned and unskilled in school, and he even pranked his classmates. After six months of tolerating this, my father finally lost his patience and persuaded him to withdraw.
I heard that later on, the Earl of Zhongyi intended to send his son to the army for training, but he was neither good at literature nor martial arts, and was really a useless piece of mud.
Cheng Yayin believed Liu Chang would be so petty as to harbor a grudge against Pei Songsheng for losing his position, even resorting to underhanded tactics to exact revenge. However, Soul-Separating Powder was no easy poison; even the placement of the poison to ensure it was undetectable was carefully planned. Knowing the playboy well, he didn't seem like someone with such scheming in mind.
There must be something else behind this.
He San continued to kowtow and beg for mercy, his forehead red and swollen and bleeding, but he didn't dare stop, fearing that if he didn't kowtow even once, his intestines would be ruptured. Cheng Yayin didn't think he had the courage to hide it under such circumstances.
That was all she could get out of him. Turning to Jian Zhu, she said, "Take him away and lock him up. Send him to the Dali Temple tomorrow morning."
Just as Jian Zhu was about to lift him up, He San fell to the ground, his eyes red as he looked at Cheng Yayin: "I accept any punishment. Madam, please give me the antidote, so that I can be brought to the Dali Temple alive."
Cheng Yayin sneered, "I didn't give you any drugs at all. I was just lying to you."
While He San was stunned, Cheng Yayin instructed Jian Zhu again, "Find a secluded place to lock him up, and quietly send him to the Dali Temple's Master Xue tomorrow. Remember not to let any news leak out. If anyone asks, just say he had an acute illness and went home to recuperate."
"clear."
Jian Zhu quickly blocked He San's mouth and dragged him away.
This interrogation consumed a lot of Cheng Yayin's mind. Although she successfully caught the person who poisoned her, her heart was even heavier. She thought about what she had heard today and what she needed to investigate in the future. Her heart was in turmoil.
If Liu Chang was the mastermind behind using the Soul-Separation Powder to poison Pei Songsheng, then was he also the one who poisoned Du Lanxin?
Could he be the real culprit in the missing case?
Cheng Yayin was lost in thought, and Lanyue called her several times before she reacted. She looked up and saw the two maids looking at her worriedly.
"I'm fine." She waved her hand, looked up at the few stars hanging in the night sky, and was surprised to find it was so late.
"You don't have to serve me tonight. You all should go to rest. I have something to think about alone." Cheng Yayin got up and went back to her room.
Although the two maids were worried, they knew their master's personality and that he didn't like to be disturbed when he was thinking, so they accepted the order and left.
Cheng Yayin returned to her room, her heart full of thoughts. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Pei Songsheng, who had been feigning illness in his own room, sitting on a chair in her room, holding her teacup. He smiled at her, "Madam, are you done with your work? I've been waiting for so long."
Cheng Yayin's scalp tingled and she closed the door again.
As she turned around and took a step, the door behind her creaked open. Pei Songsheng stretched out his long arm, grabbed her collar and pulled her in again.
The door slammed shut, and Pei Songsheng pushed her against the door, his arms trapping her on both sides to prevent her from escaping, staring at her inquiringly.
Unable to avoid it, Cheng Yayin could only meet his gaze with a dry laugh, "Didn't I tell you to wait for good news in the room? Why are you here?"
"If I hadn't come here, I really wouldn't have known." Pei Songsheng recalled how she had just turned around and left, as if trying to avoid him, his eyes becoming increasingly displeased. "Madam, do you want to catch the thief, or are you just looking for an excuse to distance yourself from me?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I distance myself from you for no reason?" Cheng Yayin avoided his gaze. Seeing that he had no intention of letting her go, she decided to turn the tables.
She put her hands on her hips and said angrily, "Who am I planning all this for? You actually doubt my intentions and talk about deep feelings. It's obvious that you don't trust me."
When she got tough, Pei Songsheng really panicked, and softened his voice to coax her, "I was wrong, don't be angry, I won't say such things again in the future."
Cheng Yayin snorted, pushed him away and went to the table to pour tea. She was already thirsty after such a long conversation.
Pei Songsheng pressed her shoulders and asked her to sit down, kneading her shoulders and neck with his hands. "So, Madam, you have caught the killer? Thank you for helping me out."
The hand on her shoulder was warm and strong. Cheng Yayin was not used to such a touch and subconsciously flinched. But his technique was quite good. His strong fingers melted away the fatigue and resistance. Cheng Yayin simply closed her eyes and immersed herself in this rare enjoyment.
After all, she never thought that Pei Songsheng would massage her shoulders in this life, but she wouldn't be able to enjoy it when he woke up.
"Actually, the real mastermind hasn't been caught yet. He's simply bribed the servants in the mansion. Catching him requires a long-term plan," Cheng Yayin said. "The assassins from the Hidden Sect aren't easy to deal with, so I need to focus on thinking of a countermeasure for the time being. To avoid being distracted, let's sleep in separate rooms."
"No." Not surprisingly, Pei Songsheng rejected it quickly.
Cheng Yayin turned to look at him and said seriously, "As long as that person is not caught, you will be in danger. I must come up with a solution as soon as possible. How can you not take this matter of life and death seriously?"
"It's enough that my life is in your care. Madam, feel free to do whatever you want. I can stay out of it, but sleeping in separate rooms is absolutely unacceptable."
"But I can't sleep well when I'm with you. If I can't stay alert, how can I deal with the other assassins from the Hidden Sect?"
"Madam, that's not right." Pei Songsheng shook his head seriously, "Don't you think you'll sleep better in my arms?"
"..." Cheng Yayin couldn't refute this, as she had never slept with him either.
Pei Songsheng took the opportunity to pinch her face with a smile, "Madam is out fighting, and I am responsible for warming her bed. With the combined efforts of you and me, we can easily capture any demon or monster."
Cheng Yayin was speechless. Seeing that this man was really unreasonable, and she really didn't have the energy to waste any more words with him tonight, she angrily waved his hand away, "Who needs you to warm the bed?"
Seeing that Pei Songsheng was determined not to leave tonight, and Cheng Yayin could not really sleep in the same bed with him, he was furious but could not vent his anger, so he had to give up his territory and planned to spend another night on the chaise longue in the outer room.
She walked past the screen. Pei Songsheng was about to follow her, but after being glared at, he stopped and said to her through the screen, "Madam, do you really want me to stay alone in this empty bed?"
The bedding on the chaise longue had not been put away yet. Cheng Yayin said unhappily as she sorted it out, "Go to sleep. If you say anything more, I'll kick you out."
These words had no deterrent effect at all, they were just empty boasting. However, Pei Songsheng thought of her frustrated and helpless look, and he felt very fond of her. So he stopped pestering her and sat down on the bed obediently. "Okay then, I'll warm the bed for you, Madam. If you feel cold at night, remember to come to me."
Cheng Yayin ignored him. Thinking that he had occupied her bed, she was afraid that she would have to stay on this small chaise longue until he woke up, which made her feel even more depressed.
She was remaking the bedding when she heard Pei Songsheng on the other side of the screen also making the bed. After a while, he asked, "Madam, what did you put under the bed?"
Cheng Yayin paused, realizing that he was talking about the secret drawer under the bed.
She was used to reading before going to bed. When she felt sleepy, she was too lazy to put the book in her hand back on the shelf, so she specially asked a craftsman to make a wooden drawer and put it under the bed, in which she placed the books she was used to read before going to bed.
But she was annoyed at the moment and didn't want to explain to Pei Songsheng, so she said angrily: "Swords, spears, halberds, poisons and hidden weapons, I will kill you when you fall asleep."
Pei Songsheng laughed on the other end. "Madam, you want to kill me, and you've even put so much thought into preparing the tricks. You really have me in your heart. Then let me choose a way for you to die tonight."
Cheng Yayin heard the sound of him opening the secret drawer, and thought that she had already carefully put away all her books and did not put them in there, so she let him go.
The secret drawer was opened, and the sound of fingers brushing across the books one by one reached Cheng Yayin's ears. Finally, it was unknown which book the fingers stopped on, and they did not move for a long time.
Cheng Yayin listened attentively for a while, and Pei Songsheng seemed to pick up a book and started flipping through it. She didn't know which book attracted his attention, but it contained only some travel notes, poetry collections, miscellaneous notes and...!
She threw the pillow away and ran quickly past the screen. She saw Pei Songsheng holding the book and looking at her with a playful look.
"Madam's bedtime reading is truly unique."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
