NFBE Chapter 18 The cat was poisoned to death.
Chapter 18 The cat was poisoned to death.
The next day, Xu Jiaojiao, who always gets up early, stayed in bed until noon before finally and reluctantly coming out of Lianye's room.
Seeing the main door of the house half open, Xu Jiaojiao thought: Has that person already left? In broad daylight, he can't possibly kill someone openly, can he?
After a moment's thought, she took the hairpin off her head, held it tightly in her palm, and then carefully returned to the main house.
Seeing that no one was inside, Xu Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief.
You can run away on the first day of the month, but you can't run away on the fifteenth. If this person doesn't succeed, he will definitely come again. She can't be so lucky to escape every time.
We need to find a way to solve this once and for all!
Just then, Xu Jiaojiao noticed a small porcelain bottle on the dressing table, with a piece of paper underneath it.
She hesitated before stepping forward and noticed three powerful characters written on the paper—
Jade Face Cream
So that person came to deliver the Jade Face Cream to her last night? To repay her for saving him last time?
The Jade Face Cream is incredibly precious; isn't this way of repaying a debt of gratitude a bit too extravagant?
"Master! The water vat has been delivered from the storeroom!"
Outside, the sound of lotus leaves interrupted Xu Jiaojiao's thoughts.
She snapped out of her daze, folded the paper in half and tucked it under the makeup box, then walked out of the room.
Seeing the water vat in the courtyard, Xu Jiaojiao smiled and rewarded the servant who was pulling the water vat with two silver beans.
The servant thanked him happily and then hurried away.
Seeing the servant walk away, Lianye stepped forward and whispered in Xu Jiaojiao's ear, "Master, I have acted very ostentatiously as you instructed. Whenever someone asked what the water vat was for, I answered as you instructed. I think the whole palace has already heard about it by now."
Xu Jiaojiao nodded in satisfaction: "Well done."
The bait has been laid; now it's just a matter of whether the venomous snake in the ditch will take the bait…
Three days later, Prince Chen returned to his residence after quelling the banditry in the outskirts of the capital.
As a concubine of Prince Chen, Xu Jiaojiao naturally had to go to Prince Chen's side to show her concern.
So she personally made some pastries and sent them to Prince Chen.
However, she wasn't the only one who shared the same thought.
On her way to Mingqian Courtyard, Xu Jiaojiao happened to run into the Princess and Consort Bai, who were also on their way to offer their condolences.
Since they had run into each other, she naturally wanted to share the pastries she had made with her two older sisters.
Although Bai Yiru scoffed at it, she still accepted the pastries in order to maintain her dignified and serene image.
It should be noted that Prince Chen is not a person who indulges in gluttony. This Xu Jiaojiao doesn't even know what Prince Chen likes, yet she dares to recklessly try to get close to him. She is extremely foolish.
Moreover, respectable ladies would never casually go into a greasy kitchen, let alone cook there themselves.
Although Xu Jiaojiao saved Prince Chen, she was ultimately a worthless person.
But it's not surprising. After all, Xu Jiaojiao was a concubine who rose from the ranks of a maid. It's normal that she only knows these vulgar things. After all, not everyone can be as proficient in elegant things like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting as she is.
When leaving Mingqian Courtyard, Bai Yiru threw the pastry into the roadside bushes with great disgust and then walked away.
The aroma of the pastries quickly attracted a little raccoon dog.
After taking two bites of the pastry, the little raccoon suddenly kicked its four legs and collapsed to the ground, unable to get up...
……
In the study of Mingqian Academy.
Zhao Yunzheng dismissed his attendants and opened the food box that Xu Jiaojiao had brought him alone.
As the food boxes were opened layer by layer, the sweet aroma of the pastries filled the room, whetting the appetite.
Seeing the uniquely shaped butterfly cookies on the plate, Zhao Yunzheng exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, "Xu Jiaojiao is truly a skillful girl."
Presumably, this is the pastry that Xu Jiaojiao made for him using the water from the black ginseng.
Thinking of that night when Xu Jiaojiao, despite her injuries, still didn't forget to dig for Wuling ginseng, Zhao Yunzheng felt a little comforted.
Perhaps it was because these butterfly cookies contained Xu Jiaojiao's pure love for him, Zhao Yunzheng felt that these butterfly cookies melted in his mouth, and the aroma filled his mouth and teeth. They were even more delicious than the pastries made by the imperial chefs in the palace.
After eating three pieces, Zhao Yunzheng looked at the plate, which was already half empty, and stopped eating. Instead, he put the pastries aside and continued reading the memorial.
Not long after, a servant rushed in to report: "Your Highness, the cat has been poisoned to death!"
"what?!"
Zhao Yunzheng watched Li Nu being born and raised, and his feelings for Li Nu even surpassed those for many others.
Upon hearing the sudden news of Li Nu's death, Zhao Yunzheng was overcome with anger and felt a sharp pain in his chest.
Before he could recover, he felt a sweet taste in his throat and then completely lost consciousness.
……
After delivering the pastries, Xu Jiaojiao went straight back to Shi Nuan Pavilion.
Not long after she returned, she heard a commotion in the Prince's mansion.
Just as I was about to send Lianye to find out what had happened, the princess barged in with her entourage.
Wang Mama pointed at Xu Jiaojiao and roared, "Guards! Lock this audacious slut in the dark room! We'll deal with her when the Prince wakes up!"
darkroom!
Only those who commit heinous crimes are sent to the dark room!
Once you enter the dark room, you'll be lucky to escape with your life!
Xu Jiaojiao was startled: "Your Highness, why are you arresting me?"
The princess glanced at him sideways, her eyes flashing with a sharp light: "You personally delivered the poisoned pastries, causing the prince to fall into a coma and the cat to die suddenly from poisoning. And now you still have the nerve to ask me why I arrested you?"
"How could this be..." Xu Jiaojiao shook her head: "I did not poison anyone, please Your Highness investigate!"
The princess flicked her long sleeves and left directly: "Madam Xu, you can explain yourself to the prince, but whether he'll be willing to listen after he wakes up is still uncertain..."
Watching Xu Jiaojiao being dragged away, Granny Wang asked in bewilderment, "The evidence of poisoning is conclusive, why doesn't Your Highness punish Concubine Xu directly?"
The princess looked meaningfully in the direction of Mingqian Courtyard.
The so-called evidence is merely evidence that some people want them to see; whether it is true or false is still unknown.
But Prince Chen treats Xu Jiaojiao differently, and she is absolutely certain of that.
Although it is unknown what weight Xu Jiaojiao holds in Prince Chen's heart, it is wisest to leave her alone.
The princess withdrew her gaze and said calmly, "This is a matter of great importance, and I cannot make a decision on my own. Let's wait for the prince to wake up before making a decision."
As night fell, Prince Chen, who had been in a deep sleep for a long time, slowly awoke.
The imperial physician, who had been busy all afternoon, breathed a sigh of relief: "Fortunately, the prince's poisoning is not severe, and this poison is not a potent one, otherwise I'm afraid the prince would not have been able to wake up so quickly."
Prince Chen had a splitting headache, but he still forced himself to sit up: "Poisoned?"
The imperial physician nodded slightly: "Yes, Your Highness, you have been poisoned by aconite powder. Fortunately, you did not ingest too much, otherwise, if it had gone on for too long, even a miracle would have been difficult to save you."
Zhao Yunzheng frowned and looked at Yingyi: "What's going on?"
Yingyi's expression was grave: "It was the pastries that Concubine Xu brought this afternoon. The cat ate those pastries, which is why it was poisoned and died..."