Chapter 437

She reminded, "Sister Yin Lan, murder is a serious crime."

Yin Lan's face flushed red, her eyes clouded with tipsiness, "Heh, I have my ways to do it without anyone knowing. Good sister, just give me the poison, I'm begging you. I'll definitely repay you in the future."

Drunken words reveal the sober heart. A drunken person would never lie.

Yin Lan's hatred towards Yanzhi had reached an uncontrollable point.

Shen Ruxu's eyes flashed, whispering, "I do have the poison, but once it's used, there's no going back."

Yin Lan gritted her teeth, her eyes spitting fire, "I want her dead!"

Shen Ruxu's mouth curved up slightly, a plan to kill two birds with one stone instantly formed in her mind.

She took out a packet of poison powder from her bosom and secretly placed it in Yin Lan's palm, smugly said, "This poison is called poison feather, even more potent than Crimson Crest Poison. Sister, just take it."

Yin Lan clenched the poison in her hand, and started giggling, "Good, thank you sister. It's late, I should go back, or that wretched girl will make trouble again. Sister feels awful."

She stumbled up, bid Shen Ruxu farewell.

Shen Ruxu had also drank a few cups, and got up to send her off.

Yin Lan stopped her, shaking her head, her drunken voice coquettish, "Don't send me off, don't let that wretched girl see."

With that, she waved her hand, "I'm off, await my good news."

Shen Ruxu also laughed, "Alright alright."

After walking out of the tavern, Yin Lan wiped off the wine stains at the corner of her mouth. The foggy redness in her eyes instantly sobered up. Not long after, her slender figure disappeared into the night.

...

A few days later, news came from the Censorate saying Mrs. Lin was critically ill and unconscious. Many doctors were invited into the residence to treat her, and she seemed to be in grave danger.

Two days later.

After eating the candied fruit Yin Lan brought over, Mrs. Lin suddenly coughed up blood and lost consciousness.

Chaos broke out in Duke Zhao's manor. Zhao Hui personally took his spear and rushed to the Censorate, wanting to take Gu Ying back to Duke Zhao's manor for interrogation.

Gu Ying stroked her protruding belly, looking steadily at the enraged Zhao Hui, calmly said, "Father, don't panic. Let me bring Jiangjiang back to the manor to see Mother first."

Zhao Hui brandished his spear, pressing it coldly against Gu Ying's neck, solemnly said, "If something happens to Ayu, I'll have your life in exchange."

Gu Ying's mouth tightened. Ignoring everything else, she called for Ye Zhuojiang to accompany her back to Duke Zhao's manor.

Upon entering the Lingxi Pavilion courtyard, Shen Ruxu's mournful cries could already be heard.

"Mother! Wake up!"

"Mother, how could you suddenly be poisoned? It must be that wretched hoof Yin Lan! If not for her deliberately poisoning your food, you wouldn't have been hit. Yin Lan, give me back my mother!"

The room was full of maidservants kneeling on the ground, all with frightened and trembling expressions.

Yin Lan was even more tightly bound and gagged in the middle of the hall. Her face had been firmly slapped, and a handkerchief stuffed in her mouth.

Looking closer, Gu Ying saw Mrs. Lin collapsed on the ground, half her body limp in Shen Ruxu's arms. Her complexion was ghastly white, brows furrowed, mouth dripping large patches of red blood. She could barely breathe.

Upon entering, Zhao Hui rushed to Mrs. Lin's side, wanting to pick her up.

But Shen Ruxu cried out in anguish, "Father, don't move Mother! The poison will spread faster if she's moved!"

Zhao Hui's hand froze. This eight foot giant of a man actually shed tears in front of everyone. "Ruxu, you're a doctor! Hurry, save her!"

Shen Ruxu's mouth twisted, face streaked with tears, weeping painfully, "Father, I'm useless... I can't cure this poison..."

Zhao Hui stared blankly at Mrs. Lin, who barely had any breath left in the hall. His entire being seemed to have lost its soul, at a complete loss.

The scene was pure chaos, with only Shen Ruxu's cries and curses grating on everyone's nerves. Gu Ying's brows tightened, her temples throbbing. "Jiangjiang, go take a look."

With a life hanging in balance, Ye Zhuojiang didn't dare hesitate. He strode forward and shoved Shen Ruxu aside, "Get lost. If you can't even diagnose it yourself, then make way for someone more capable."

Shen Ruxu's expression froze. Her body tumbled to the ground, looking rather miserable.

Zhao Hui helped her up, glaring coldly at Gu Ying. He mocked sarcastically, "What now? You poisoned your own mother-in-law, yet you let your Ye family throw their weight around in my Duke Zhao's manor?"

Gu Ying stopped him from taking Mrs. Lin away, explaining, "Father, I never had any intention to poison Mother."

Zhao Hui's eyes were bloodshot. He sneered, "You sent the food, Yin Lan added the poison. What else can you say? A venomous viper like you isn't fit to marry into my manor! When Adu gets back, I'll have him divorce you!"

Gu Ying's eyes dimmed, calmly saying, "If I wanted to harm Mother, I had plenty of chances to poison her. Why would I get Yin Lan to do it at this time, and deliberately make you suspect me?"

Zhao Hui raged, blurting out in anger, "Hah! I know you well! Ayu caught you cheating with Jiang Yin. You clearly had no choice left, so you wanted Ayu dead to shut her up!"

Seeing Zhao Hui attacking all the right points, Shen Ruxu quickly fanned the flames, "That's right! Father, I heard the battles at the frontlines are almost over. Sister Gu was afraid the Crown Prince would know of her disgraceful affair upon his return and divorce her. That's why she took this risk. Poor Mother treated her like a daughter... Who knew Sister Gu could be so ruthless."

Seeing Mrs. Lin's agonized, blood-spitting appearance, Zhao Hui thought of how he had finally found her and kept her by his side. He vowed to treat her well for the rest of their lives.

Yet shortly after resolving their misunderstanding, this unexpected tragedy occurred.

His Ayu... kind-hearted, a doctor with a benevolent heart. What wrong had she committed to meet with such disaster?

Zhao Hui's heart was shredded. Devoid of reason, he shouted, "Guards! Seize this venomous viper!"

Duke Zhao's guards rushed up, surrounding the pregnant Gu Ying.

But she was carrying the Crown Prince's child, so no one dared act rashly.

Over a dozen icy sharp blades pointed at Gu Ying's bulging belly, yet the woman in her cloud-patterned peach blossom silk dress stood tall and unafraid, brows and eyes lively yet steady, exuding an aura no less than a man's.

With Zhao Hui's backing and rage, it was the perfect time to make use of him.

Shen Ruxu's mouth curved imperceptibly.

Her expression remained one of heartbroken grief as she continued fanning the flames, "Sister Gu... Mother treated you so well, how could you be so cruel to her?"

Gu Ying was silent for a long while. Just as Zhao Hui was losing patience and Shen Ruxu thought she conceded, Gu Ying suddenly chuckled lightly, "Yes, Mother treated you like her own daughter. So how could you bear to harm her?"