Marry a Northern Song Dynasty civil servant

Chapter 57

Song Xiaohua paused, "Braised beef? Wuque didn't go out with the master yesterday, and the one I bought for it the day before yesterday should have been eaten up by now. How come there's still some?"

"Maybe someone else brought it to it?"

“Wuque never eats food given to him by anyone other than the people in our garden and the master. Besides, that braised beef is limited in quantity and expensive every day. Who else would be as wealthy and generous as the Lu family patriarch to give it to a dog for no reason? Here’s what we’ll do: go to the kitchen and ask them right now.”

Xiaoyan agreed and was about to leave when Song Xiaohua stopped her again: "Just pretend you were asking casually, don't make a fuss."

"Don't worry, Second Grandma."

It was late summer and early autumn, and the weather was still a bit hot. However, Song Wuque's private doghouse was warm in winter and cool in summer, so the temperature was quite comfortable at the moment.

Cui'er, the maid who was in charge of taking care of Song Wuque, was pacing around him like an ant on a hot pan, while Song Wuque stared at her warily with his big eyes, his posture and expression showing hostility.

Upon seeing Song Xiaohua enter, it immediately darted to her, barked softly, then rushed to the plate containing bones and braised beef, swung its front paws and overturned it. Finally, it began barking incessantly at Cui'er, whose face was deathly pale.

Song Xiaohua's heart skipped a beat, and she spoke up to stop him. Cui'er, terrified, knelt down on the ground, her legs buckling: "Second Madam, this servant hasn't done anything. This servant doesn't know what's wrong with Wuque. It started throwing a tantrum as soon as I brought it food this morning and refuses to eat..."

Who prepared this meal?

"Yes, Second Madam, it is Wang Lin."

Nianyuan has its own kitchen, staffed with two head chefs and several assistants. Song Xiaohua and Lu Ziqi are both people who dislike socializing and will not stay in other gardens to eat unless absolutely necessary, so their daily meals are prepared by their own chefs.

Wang Lin was one of the chefs. He had been working at the Lu residence for many years, previously serving Lu Tuo, and had only recently been assigned to the position. Although young, his skills were excellent, and he was a very honest person.

At this moment, Xiaoyan and Tingxian walked in together. Song Xiaohua then told Cuier to leave and go back to her room to rest. She was not allowed to leave without being summoned, nor was she allowed to mention the dog's abnormal reaction to anyone.

Xiaoyan's expression changed upon seeing this, and she lowered her voice to ask, "Second Madam, is there really something wrong?"

“We don’t know yet, but Wuque wouldn’t get so angry for no reason.” Song Xiaohua looked at the overturned food bowl: “Have a reliable person take these things to a well-known pharmacy and find a doctor with excellent medical skills and ethics to take a close look. If there’s anything wrong, be sure to write down the results in black and white and sign the doctor’s name. Remember, do this quietly and don’t make a fuss about it for now.”

After Xiaoyan left to carry out her orders, Tingxian, who hadn't spoken until now, said softly, "Today, only Sister Ziqin from the eldest madam's room came by. She borrowed some silk thread from me. Just before she left, she happened to run into Wang Lin at the kitchen door. The two of them exchanged a few words before she left."

"What did they say in the eldest mistress's room?"

“I only caught a glimpse of it from afar in the room, and then I focused on embroidering the handkerchief.”

Are they very close?

"Because they were from the same hometown, Wang Lin always took good care of Sister Ziqin."

"Was she carrying anything with her when she came?"

"Sister Ziqin carried a small basket, saying she had brought needles, thread and fabric to cool off and do some work in the small garden. I didn't pay attention to what was in the basket at the time."

Song Xiaohua didn't ask any further questions. She simply instructed her to pretend that she had accidentally knocked over the food plate and have someone quickly get Wuque a new breakfast. Then she went back to her room alone.

After lunch, the person sent to the pharmacy brought back an authoritative 'food inspection report' issued by a well-known doctor from a reputable pharmacy, which clearly stated in black and white that the two pieces of braised beef were indeed poisonous.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't a deadly poison, but rather a laxative made from several common herbs that would disrupt the digestive system and cause frequent trips to the toilet. However, the amount of meat in it was enough to cause enough diarrhea to knock out a cow; in other words, if Song Wuque had eaten it, he would have essentially lost his life.

Song Xiaohua trembled for a while holding the 'medical test report', then kicked over a stool and kicked the door open before rushing out.

Holy crap! They actually tried to poison my dog!

After closing the courtyard gate, Song Xiaohua called Wang Lin and Cui'er to a side room, where Xiaoyan and Tingxian attended to them.

Looking at the bewildered Cui'er, Song Xiaohua softened her tone: "Don't be afraid, I'm just asking you one question. Was Wang Lin the one who prepared Wuque's breakfast for you today?"

"Yes, Second Madam."

"You took the food bowl and went straight to the kennel without stopping at all?"

"No, several people who clean the garden saw it."

Song Xiaohua nodded, then turned to Wang Lin, who looked bewildered, and asked, "Is what Cui'er said true?"

"No, I watched her carry it all the way in."

"I'm asking you, you prepared all of Wuque's food today, didn't you?"

"right."

"Alright. Cui'er, you can go now. This is none of your business."

The remaining four people inside fell silent, while the cicadas in the trees outside began to chirp incessantly again.

Wang Lin was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a tall, strong build; he looked like an honest and kind person. Seeing his second grandmother's sullen face and silence, he felt uneasy and anxious, not knowing why, but dared not ask. Before long, his face was covered in cold sweat.

Song Xiaohua finally spoke, her voice not loud, but icy cold, completely different from her usual clear and cheerful voice: "Who gave you these two pieces of braised beef?"

Wang Lin was startled and asked cautiously, "Second Grandma, is there something wrong with this beef?"

Xiaoyan snapped, "It's Second Madam asking you a question, and you dare to talk back?!"

"Forget it." Song Xiaohua waved her hand, adjusted her breathing, and tried to remain calm. "Wang Lin, this beef has been laced with enough poison to kill Wuque. I know you are kind-hearted and it's impossible for you to have done it. Besides, everyone in the garden knows Wuque's place in my and Second Master's hearts. Even if you had a million lives, you wouldn't dare. So, you just need to tell me who put this beef in, and that's all you have to do."

Wang Lin's face had long since turned from deathly pale to ashen, cold sweat pouring down his face. He knelt down with a thud, but just kept his head down and refused to say anything.

Song Xiaohua hadn't expected this reaction and frowned: "What do you mean? Are you admitting that you poisoned me?!"

Wang Lin shuddered slightly, but still gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Song Xiaohua finally lost her patience and said sternly, "Even if you want to play the hero and help others, I won't let you! Today you poison the dog, tomorrow you could poison my whole family! I will definitely investigate this matter to the end, otherwise, wouldn't it be the same as telling everyone that the master of 'Nianyuan' is a spineless coward who can be bullied by anyone! I have already sworn that anyone who dares to touch my family will be made to pay a hundredfold!"

He took a breath and slowly said, "It's Ziqin, isn't it? You like her, so you're willing to take the blame for her, right?"

Wang Lin took a few deep breaths and suddenly raised his head: "Second Madam, it's all my fault. Whether you kick me out of the Lu Mansion or hand me over to the authorities, I will accept the punishment!"

"It really was her..."

Tingxian couldn't help but sigh softly, "Wang Lin, why are you doing this to yourself?"

Song Xiaohua stood up, walked to him, bent down to look him in the eye, and said, "You have feelings for her, that's good. But she's heartless and ungrateful to you. Luckily, Wuque was quick-witted this time and didn't go for it. Otherwise, if anything had happened to you, could you have taken the blame? Even if you were sent by the master, I would never forgive you! No matter the outcome, her actions have put you in danger. It's not worth it for such a fickle woman."

"Second Grandmother, she is not that kind of person."

"Oh? Even now, you still believe her?"

Wang Lin lowered his eyelids, then raised them again after a moment, his eyes gleaming, and answered decisively with a single word: "I believe you!"

Song Xiaohua nodded, then suddenly smiled: "I also believe that she didn't do such a vicious thing. That's why you need to cooperate with me even more to find out who framed you."

Chapter Sixty: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada

The 'Sheng Garden' where Lu Ziheng's family lived was located in the central-eastern part of the Lu residence, close to the residences of several concubines and the old master Lu. It took about twenty minutes to walk there from the secluded 'Nian Garden'.

A few days ago, Lu Ziheng went away on business and has not returned since. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but not long after he left, Madam Yuan fell ill and has been feeling unwell ever since. The doctor came to examine her and could only say that it was a problem with her spleen and stomach, and prescribed some medicine to regulate her body, but she has not gotten much better.

Song Xiaohua, accompanied by Tingxian and Wang Lin, carrying the two pieces of braised beef and the 'medical report,' had just entered 'Shengyuan' when she bumped into Zhao Shi by sheer bad luck: "Oh! Isn't this Second Madam? What a rare guest!"

With a cold laugh, ignoring her sarcastic greeting, Song Xiaohua walked towards Yuan's room. Tingxian, however, replied softly, "That's quite an interesting thing to say. The eldest mistress hasn't been feeling well these days, and the second mistress has come quite often. How come she's become a rare guest?"

Zhao was speechless, rolled her eyes at her, and was about to turn away when Song Xiaohua suddenly stopped and said coldly without turning her head, "Who knows, I might need to ask you something later. Since we've run into each other, come with me to see my sister-in-law!"

Madam Yuan was reclining on the soft couch listening to a nanny talking when she saw Song Xiaohua come in. She waved the nanny away and said, "Sister-in-law, you're here. I'm too tired to get up and greet you. Please don't mind!"

"Sister-in-law, you should rest well. I know this place well, so there's no need for you to take care of me. How are you feeling? Are you feeling better?"

"It's still the same as always. I feel dizzy and have no appetite. Even the food I manage to eat doesn't stay in my stomach at all."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries with her, Song Xiaohua sat down next to her and then said seriously, "Sister-in-law, you are unwell and have so many things to deal with in the household. I shouldn't be bothering you or causing you any more trouble. But after thinking about it carefully, this matter is not a big deal, but it is definitely not insignificant either. If we just let it go, it may leave hidden dangers in the future."

Hearing how serious she sounded, Madam Yuan propped herself up a little and said, "Sister-in-law, please tell me what happened."

Song Xiaohua then briefly recounted the events, and showed her two pieces of evidence: "I believe that Ziqin was definitely framed by someone with ulterior motives. If this matter is not thoroughly investigated, similar situations will inevitably occur again. You can prevent it once, but you can't prevent it twice. Even if it doesn't cause any major trouble or murder, it will still needlessly affect the relationship between the two brothers and make them a laughing stock. If you have any questions, sister-in-law, I've had Tingxian and Wang Lin come over; they're waiting outside."

Madam Yuan shook her head, her face pale, her voice trembling slightly: "No need, how could I not believe you, sister-in-law? This is outrageous! Such a despicable thing has happened in the backyard of the prestigious Lu family. From now on, won't everyone be on edge, worried that someone might poison their food?!" She took a breath and then called for someone to summon Ziqin.

The head maid, Ziqin, was about seventeen or eighteen years old. She was petite, delicate, and pretty, but when she wasn't smiling, she had a hint of aloofness. She had entered the household at a young age and had been serving Madam Yuan for five or six years.

Upon entering, Ziqin simply nodded as usual when she saw Wang Lin and Tingxian waiting in the outer room, seemingly unsurprised by their sudden appearance. Wang Lin, however, appeared somewhat excited, opening his mouth as if to say something, but was gently tugged at by Tingxian, whose expression was grave, and thus stopped.

After hearing Yuan's retelling of the whole story, Ziqin had already bitten her lower lip so hard it was almost bleeding. When she spoke, her voice was so cold it seemed to emanate chill: "Thank you for your trust, Madam. Please allow me to ask Mei'er from Aunt Zhao's room to come and speak with me."

Zhao, who had been gloating and watching the show, immediately slammed her hand on the table when she heard that the matter had somehow come back to haunt her: "What does this have to do with Mei'er now?"

Song Xiaohua couldn't understand why Madam Yuan would indulge her like this, and couldn't help but frown and scold her: "Sister-in-law's health is already not good, what are you still shouting about here? Are the people in your room so precious that you can't even call them over to ask them a few questions?"

Zhao was so frightened by her last time that she really didn't dare to confront her head-on again, so she had no choice but to reluctantly shout for help.

Seeing that she was about to explode again, Song Xiaohua was stopped by Yuan Shi with a wry smile.

Before long, a woman with exquisite features and captivating charm swayed gracefully towards them.

Song Xiaohua couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She truly lived up to her name, not wasting a single bit of the "alluring" quality it contained. If she were to drift out in a white veil at midnight, she wouldn't be so unjust as to be mistaken for a vixen and splattered with dog blood.