The moon hung in the sparse starry sky as dusk settled over the city.
The two did not return to the painted boat but headed straight back to the mansion.
Ji Yuluo changed out of her brocade guard attire, washed the ash and powder from her face, and put on the gentle and virtuous women’s clothing again.
Nowadays, her clothes were all chosen by Nanny Liu, consisting of complex and luxurious styles. It seemed that the incident where she had beaten the guard had left quite a psychological shadow on Nanny Liu, who tried hard to correct Ji Yuluo’s behavior and guide her towards becoming more virtuous and gentle.
But actually, when not on a mission, Ji Yuluo dressed like this in the Cuixue Tower as well, even more exquisitely. Although her time with the Qiao family was not long, Madam Qiao’s habit of dressing her up had influenced Ji Yuluo’s aesthetic, and she liked beautiful things. Hence, when she first became “Ji Yuyao,” she was quite displeased with her mourning attire but couldn’t show it.
This was also why Ji Yuluo later didn’t let Biwu handle her makeup. Now, Biwu was mainly responsible for some daily chores in the Huo mansion, spending more time around Nanny Liu.
But tonight, it was Hongshuang who brought the sobering soup.
Ji Yuluo had changed her clothes and was in the main hall. Since Huo Xian occupied the bathing room, she hadn’t had a chance to bathe yet and smelled strongly of alcohol, though she hadn’t drunk a drop. So she had Hongshuang take the soup to the inner room.
Hongshuang complied and delivered it.
Ji Yuluo was flipping through the map of the capital, selecting locations for hidden posts.
Chaolu was guarding outside, having been placated with two rice cakes. After filling her stomach, she lazily sat on the stone steps under the eaves, looking up at the cage hanging from the beam, where a red-feathered bird resided.
Perhaps the smell of alcohol was intoxicating, as Ji Yuluo absentmindedly glanced at it and felt a bit drowsy. The more she looked at the red-feathered bird, the more it resembled Huo Xian.
Like him in his Qilin robes, bright and striking.
The next moment, Chaolu shot a slingshot at the birdcage. The bird, startled, flew out of the cage and pecked at Chaolu’s outstretched hand.
The girl and the bird seemed to be enjoying their playful fight.
Ji Yuluo: “…”
Hongshuang came out of the inner room but didn’t leave immediately. She walked over and said, “Miss.”
Her voice was very low, clearly indicating she had something important to say.
Ji Yuluo withdrew her gaze, looked up at her, and raised an eyebrow, signaling her to speak. Hongshuang took out a jade token from her sleeve—it was Xie Subai’s jade command. Hongshuang said, “Master wants to see you.”
Ji Yuluo was surprised, “Now? What urgent matter requires meeting now?”
Hongshuang lowered her eyes, “This servant doesn’t know either.”
Once the jade command appeared, everyone in the tower had to obey orders, and Ji Yuluo was no exception. Since she was no longer under surveillance, she could leave whenever she wanted. So, she didn’t delay, got up, and stepped out the threshold, heading towards the flower gate.
The night breeze was light, and the entire garden was filled with the scent of flowers and trees.
Ji Yuluo asked, “Still meeting at the inn?”
Hongshuang nodded in affirmation.
Ji Yuluo furrowed her brows. She had just encountered Shen Qingli in the market, and now Xie Subai wanted to see her. Why hadn’t Shen Qingli mentioned this directly, especially since they were so close to the inn?
No, Shen Qingli…
“Don’t trust anyone easily, not everyone is like that little girl Chaolu.”
She suddenly recalled Shen Qingli’s words. Was his appearance tonight really a coincidence? In retrospect, it seemed more like he came specifically to warn her.
Initially, Ji Yuluo thought Shen Qingli was reminding her not to get too close to the brocade guards. After all, Cuixue Tower had always been at odds with the court, and they were involved in several cases that the brocade guards had taken over. It wasn’t strange for Shen Qingli to come and warn her.
But comparing it to Chaolu wasn’t appropriate.
Huo Xian and Chaolu were not alike, and the only one who could be compared to Chaolu was…
Hongshuang.
Ji Yuluo suddenly stopped, halting at the corner of the corridor, her breath catching for a moment.
Yes, something was wrong, everything was wrong.
Since settling in the Huo mansion, Hongshuang’s role had diminished. She assigned tasks to Chaolu, and Biwu took care of daily chores. Recently, she hadn’t seen Hongshuang much. She knew Hongshuang had always been in contact with Xie Subai, which was understandable since Xie Subai was her master. But Shen Qingli said that Huo Xian had disrupted Xie Subai’s plan.
Because of Huo Xian!
In some ways, Ji Yuluo was very similar to Xie Subai, so similar that she could sometimes intuitively guess Xie Subai’s thoughts.
Some people live on hatred. If they encounter obstacles on the path of revenge, what would they do… They would eliminate the obstacles.
Xie Subai would do the same.
So, Shen Qingli had come to deliver a message today!
But the Huo mansion was heavily guarded. How could they assassinate Huo Xian?
No way, Ji Yuluo had tried before and knew all too well. This man, to protect himself, gave no one any chance. Even the food he ate was tested with silver needles for poison, and there were people specially assigned to test the food. Anything placed before him was absolutely safe, almost foolproof.
If there was only one vulnerability…
Ji Yuluo turned and stared at Hongshuang, her eyes reflecting the cold, icy light of the moon. Hongshuang, usually calm, couldn’t help but panic under her gaze and lowered her head, “Miss, let’s go quickly.”
Ji Yuluo’s voice was icy, “You drugged the sobering soup, didn’t you?”
Hongshuang abruptly looked up, but Ji Yuluo didn’t wait for her answer. She turned and headed back, her steps quick and accelerating. Hongshuang couldn’t keep up.
Ji Yuluo started with brisk walking, then broke into a run. The night wind stung her face, her expression tight, her heart racing with panic, her breathing becoming rapid.
Huo Xian wasn’t indulgent in food and drink and was particularly cautious about what he ate. Like tonight, when he entertained guests on the painted boat, the food was tested for poison. But the portion served to him was tested a second time by his close guards before being brought to his table.
—
Eliminating all risks.
However, Ji Yuluo served him food without ever seeing him test for poison, like the cup of tea she poured for him tonight on the painting boat.
She hadn’t noticed this before, but Hongshuang must have!
Since direct assassination attempts failed, they had to resort to poisoning him covertly. But how to poison Huo Xian? There was no quicker way than through her hands. All Hongshuang had to do was say she ordered it to be brought in…
That single oversight could be her.
Ji Yuluo ran to the main courtyard like the wind and pushed the door open. Huo Xian was holding a bowl, having evidently drunk from it. He looked at Ji Yuluo, surprised as she stormed in, raising her hand to knock the bowl of sobering soup out of his hand.
With a clang, the soup spilled all over the floor, splashing onto their clean hems.
Ji Yuluo immediately pressed several acupoints on Huo Xian, her face serious as she took his hand to check his pulse.
But her pulse seemed more erratic than his.
Huo Xian looked at her, his gaze sweeping over the stain on the floor, understanding what had happened without needing to ask.
He grabbed Ji Yuluo’s stiff hand, “I’ll call the doctor.”
—
To ensure she could leave the Huo residence smoothly before the poison took effect, the poison Hongshuang used was not immediate. It flowed slowly through the bloodstream, activating at the right time.
Huo Xian hadn’t consumed much, but he had still drunk it.
Yet now, he lay on the soft couch as if nothing had happened, the doctor checking his pulse. Nanyue stood by, anxious and teary-eyed, while another person stared expressionlessly at the doctor’s face, as if trying to glean some information from it.
Huo Xian glanced at her, “You, go out first.”
Ji Yuluo looked at him, not responding or moving. It was Nanyue who unceremoniously issued the eviction order, and only then did Ji Yuluo walk outside.
Hongshuang was kneeling there, “Miss…”
Ji Yuluo was silent for a while before speaking, “Why haven’t you left?”
Hongshuang pressed her lips together, “They already know it was my poison. This will inevitably implicate you. The master’s orders were for me to take you away safely. If you don’t leave, I can’t leave either.”
She said she couldn’t leave, not wouldn’t leave.
She was just following orders.
Ji Yuluo’s gaze was cold, but not as terrifying as when she had looked at her in the corridor earlier. She said, “You should go back and report.”
Hongshuang was about to speak again when someone on the steps said lightly, “Before I act.”
Hongshuang was slightly stunned, but she knew Miss Yuluo never joked about such things. So, she lowered her head silently and said in a trembling voice, “Yes.”
Ji Yuluo turned back to look at the door of the inner room.
There was no sound from inside, and she furrowed her brows slightly.
Half a quarter-hour ago, just as she closed the door, Huo Xian could no longer suppress the metallic taste in his throat. He coughed, muffling the sound, and wiped the blood from his lips with his sleeve.
His voice was low, his eyes weary, “How is it?”
Doctor Qi replied, “It’s a slow-acting poison. It won’t be a problem for a while, and fortunately, the toxin isn’t much and can still be neutralized. However, the timing is bad. It’s already the end of the month, and the parasites in your body are becoming more active. If this poison stimulates them, the pain will come sooner and likely be more severe than usual.”
Nanyue was anxious, “I’ll go ask Zhao Yong for medicine.”
Huo Xian was silent for a moment before saying, “If Zhao Yong asks, tell him my condition truthfully. If he asks for the reason, say that I was hosting guests on the painting boat tonight and carelessly allowed a villain to take advantage.”
“Master!” Nanyue was furious, “The people from Cuixue Tower are a hidden threat. They can’t be kept. I think it’s best to let Zhao Yong know and use his hand to end it once and for all.”
Huo Xian looked at him without speaking, then said, “You don’t need to go.” He looked at the sighing Doctor Qi and said, “You go.”
Doctor Qi hesitated. Ah, he really disliked dealing with the palace; it was too difficult. But he couldn’t show it, so he nodded and withdrew.
After a long time, Huo Xian began to feel the pain inside him, a sign that the poison was taking effect.
He glanced at Nanyue, “Calmed down now?”
Nanyue lowered his head, his voice choked with emotion, not from grievance but from distress, “This subordinate realizes his mistake.”
Huo Xian wiped the blood on his sleeve, but it wouldn’t come off. He removed his outer robe and said, “Once you leave, keep your mouth shut about things you shouldn’t talk about.”
He was referring to the parasites. Nanyue acknowledged and left to oversee the preparation of the medicine. As soon as the door opened, he saw Ji Yuluo.
Her situation could not be revealed to Zhao Yong, as it would implicate the master. Nanyue had come up with this desperate plan out of anger, but he couldn’t help but feel some resentment. He held back and said sarcastically, “Thanks to Miss Yuluo’s intervention, otherwise even Hua Tuo reborn couldn’t save our master. The poison is potent and can be neutralized, but the pain in the process is severe. Miss Yuluo, you’d better not enter the room.”
Ji Yuluo instinctively breathed a sigh of relief at his words. She was about to step inside but was stopped by Nanyue, and at the same time, Chaolu drew her sword.
Their eyes met, and the tension was palpable.
If it could be described, Nanyue was like a hedgehog bristling with spikes, as if her taking another step would end Huo Xian’s life.
Ji Yuluo pressed down on Chaolu’s hand, signaling her to sheathe her sword, and then stood silently with her back to Nanyue under his watchful gaze.
