Wei Shuwan swallowed a few times, trying to speak clearly, before recounting the events of that day: "That night, my mother brought me some soup. After I finished eating, I smelled a faint fragrance and asked her if she had changed her sachet. My mother picked up the sachet tied to her waist and showed it to me, saying that it was embroidered by Cai Die herself and given to her..."
“My mother also said that she brought soup because Cai Die reminded her that I coughed a few times during dinner... but I couldn’t cough at all that day.”
"Shortly afterward, my mother started to have a headache. I suspected it was caused by the sachet, so I snatched the sachet and got up to throw it out the window. But as soon as I got to the window, I saw my mother collapse on the table... and I also collapsed to the ground."
After listening, Wei Zheng also felt that there was something wrong with the sachet. After all, his daughter had loved playing with spices since she was a child, and he believed that she would not make a mistake.
"But why would Butterfly do this?" He was completely baffled.
Wei Shuwan knew there was no need to hide anything anymore, so she spilled the beans, telling Cai Die how she intercepted Wei Shuyao's letter, how she took credit for others' work and deceived Du Shao, and how she told Cai Die to give her two days to confess to everyone herself.
After hearing this, Wei Zheng finally understood the whole story: "That child Cai Die... actually drugged you to shut you up."
“Her purpose may be that, but the consequences are far more than that.” Li Qingchen, who had been silent for a long time, finally interjected.
"This medicine seems mild on the surface, only inducing a prolonged drowsy state without directly taking a life. However, her purpose in drugging Third Sister was to marry Du Shao during Third Sister's coma. This period could be as short as three to five months, or as long as a year and a half. Who can survive for that long without eating or drinking?"
"So she didn't just drug Third Sister and Madam Wei; she was killing them."
The sudden escalation of the drugging into murder left Wei Zheng momentarily at a loss, unsure of what to say. Wei Shuwan could see her father's dilemma: on one hand, he hated the person who poisoned him and his mother, and on the other hand, he felt guilty towards Wei Ping and her daughter. Although it wasn't his intention back then, he had taken their place in the Wei family's comforts while Wei Ping and her daughter suffered on the estate; it was impossible for him not to feel some guilt.
However, Wei Shuwan has her own opinion on this matter.
Wei Shuwan had been awake for a while, and her body was gradually recovering. She was regaining some strength in her hands, so she tried again to sit up by supporting herself on the edge of the bed. Li Qingchen noticed her intention and helped her up. This time, Wei Shuwan finally sat up with the support of the pillow.
Seeing her father caught in a dilemma, she calmly said, "I know you feel guilty towards Cai Die and her daughter. I would be willing to forgive them for other things, but this time, their poisoning almost caused a death and also implicated my mother. This is something I absolutely cannot tolerate!"
"So what are your plans?" Wei Zheng looked at his daughter with some pain.
Wei Shuwan could see the struggle in her father's heart and hesitated to answer. After a long while, Wei Zheng sighed, "Alright, since you have a plan, then go ahead and do it. I'll go see your mother."
Wei Shuwan watched her father leave, her face remaining expressionless.
Li Qingchen said calmly, "On one hand, there is the gratitude for being raised and the feeling of guilt; on the other hand, there is the bond of blood ties. He has made his choice."
Wei Shuwan nodded. "I know."
She had thought her father would advise her to downplay the issue, but he didn't; instead, he told her to go for it. So what worries did she have?
Wei Shuwan tried to get down by holding onto the edge of the bed, but Li Qingchen pushed her back down.
"What are you doing?" Wei Shuwan looked at him with displeasure.
"Even if you're going, at least eat something first. You're so frail and delicate, and you want to expose someone? I doubt you'd even have the strength to speak. Besides, do you even know what the situation is like in the manor right now?"
Wei Shuwan was initially somewhat unconvinced by the first sentence, but she picked up on a hint in the last one: "What happened in the manor?"
Li Qingchen told him frankly, "That Du Shao has already arrived, and he's in your front hall right now."
Upon hearing this, Wei Shuwan became even more anxious and made as if to get off the bed again, but was pushed back by Li Qingchen once more: "You don't need to worry, there should be someone more anxious than you right now!"
Wei Shuwan looked puzzled: "Who?"
Li Qingchen gave a mysterious smile: "When I parked the carriage in front of your house earlier, your grandmother and aunt were greeting Du Shao at the door, while someone was spying on us from behind that crooked jujube tree across the street."
Wei Shuwan was even more puzzled now. "Someone is spying? Does Your Highness know who it is?"
“Yuan Que recognized her as a maid named Caizhu from your Wei family.”
“Caizhu, that’s not Wei Shuyao’s person…” As she spoke, Wei Shuwan realized something. It was clear that Wei Shuyao had become suspicious of Caidie, which was why she ordered Caizhu to keep watch outside the Wei family’s gate.
"So, since there are people who are more anxious than you, there are some things that don't necessarily require you to be the first to act. You might as well stand aside and watch the show."
Wei Shuwan thought Li Qingchen's suggestion was quite good, so she wasn't in such a hurry anymore. After Zi Qiao's candied fruit and fruit arrived, she ate a few bites in peace before preparing to go to Zhaoshuitang to meet them.
"Girl, please have another piece. You haven't eaten a single grain of rice for days!" Zi Qiao said worriedly.
Wei Shuwan smiled wryly: "I've been lying in bed for days, how could I have a good appetite? The few pastries I just ate are enough to fill my stomach. Maybe I'll have an appetite again after I go out for a walk and come back."
That made sense, so Ziqiao stopped trying to persuade her. She only told Miaoxiang to go to the small kitchen and cook a few of the girl's favorite dishes so that the girl could have a better appetite after her walk around.
Li Qingchen went outside to wait, while Wei Shuwan changed her clothes in her room and quickly washed up before coming out. Li Qingchen accompanied her to Zhaoshui Hall.
*
Outside Zhaoshui Hall, Old Madam Wei and Wei Ping had clearly reached the porch in front of the door, but they heard Cai Die and Young Master Du laughing inside. Knowing that the two were having a pleasant conversation, they suddenly didn't want to go in and disturb them. They thought they should give the younger generation more opportunities to spend time together, and they could also listen outside to hear what the two were talking about and whether they had reached the point of discussing marriage.
But as she listened, she realized that the two of them were only talking about amusing things and weren't getting to the point at all. Wei Ping couldn't help but get a little anxious and advised, "Mother, why don't we go inside?"
Wei Wenshi was in no hurry, saying, "Let's wait a little longer."
The two people in the hall had finished their previous conversation, and Du Shao couldn't think of anything else to talk about, so he asked, trying to make conversation, "I wonder if your third sister has woken up yet?"
Hearing him inexplicably mention Wei Shuwan, Cai Die was initially somewhat disappointed, then asked in confusion, "Why does brother think my third sister will wake up today?"
Du Shao then realized that Cai Die was unaware that the Prince of Qiaochuan had also come to the mansion, so he smiled and said, "Sister Cai Die, you don't know yet, do you? I just happened to run into the Prince of Qiaochuan when I came here, and we went into the mansion together. It is said that the prince brought an antidote that can cure Third Sister's illness. He went to Third Sister's place with Lord Wei. I don't know if he has really woken up yet."
Butterfly froze, staring blankly ahead, her eyes completely unfocused: "The antidote..."
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