After the imperial guards came to surround the mansion, Jing Yu was frightened a lot. But nothing happened afterward, and no imperial decree was issued, either.
She was not assured at all.
Her Majesty must be planning something big.
Duanmu Shuâs condition was also not very good. Both the imperial physician and common doctors didnât find out what was wrong with him.
As if it was really that Duanmu Shu didnât want to live.
Duanmu Shu woke up once. Seeing Shen Yan, he thought he was dreaming.
Before Shen Yan could tell him it was not a dream, he fainted again.
âYour Highness, Lady, could it be that... His Highness, well, Lord Duanmu is poisoned?â Jing Yu made a bold guess. âIâve heard that some poisons are colorless and odorless, even highly skilled doctors canât do anything about it.â
Shen Yanâs eyes lit up. âPossibly... A-Shu will definitely not seek death himself. He mustâve been poisoned.â
Ming Shu didnât express her opinions. Todayâs desserts were very delicious.
But Shen Yan and Jing Yu both looked at her.
Ming Shu: â...â
Ming Shu moved aside her plate. âIf itâs such a powerful poison, even if you know it, it will be very hard to get its antidote.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Shen Yan acted like she poured a basin of cold water over her head.
She didnât even know what happened to Duanmu Shu...
But this was a breakthrough, so Shen Yan called the doctors back to check him again.
Even with the theory of being poisoned, most doctors still didnât find out anything special.
A few of them stuttered and described it as being poisoned, or not, no accurate conclusion was given.
Duanmu Shu woke up again in the evening.
He should have many words to say to Shen Yan, so Ming Shu left the room.
âLady, do you think lord Duanmu is really poisoned?â
âI donât know.â Ming Shu squatted aside. âWhat is Shen Pin doing?â
Jing Yuâs mouth twitched. She wanted to remind Ming Shu to pay attention to her image, but gave up in the end. It wouldnât work on her anyway.
âHis Highness is practising calligraphy.â
âOkay.â Ming Shu looked at the trees in the yard, then asked again a moment later, âIs there any action from Shen Yu?â
âWe havenât found anything unusual.â Jing Yu asked tentatively then, âLady, do you think Her Majesty will just let it go?â
âHave you ever seen an empress so provoked that she would let it go?â
You knew you were being provocative!
âThen why did you do that, Lady, do you...â Really want to rebel?
You should at least tell me, Iâm your trusted subordinate!
Now there were all guesses out there, and everyone said the prime minister was going to rebel.
But as she observed, Lady didnât seem to want to rebel. It was like she just wanted to go against Her Majesty.
âRebellion? Iâll leave that to Shen Yan. Iâm a prime minister with ideals; I just want to be a traitor careerist.â
With ideals?
Being a traitor careerist?
Jing Yu wanted to grab Ming Shuâs shoulder and shake it violently. Lady, are you awake or not?
Shen Yan stayed inside for nearly two hours before she came out.
She looked at Ming Shu who sat on the steps and was bragging about something to Jing Yu that made Jing Yu really want to turn away.
âYour Highness.â Jing Yu acted like sheâd seen a savior. âIs everything okay with Lord Duanmu?â
Shen Yu rubbed against her own forehead. âA-Shu said his health was deteriorating day by day, because of the news of... my death, and his being prisoned in the palace by Shen Yu, so he had been very depressed the whole time. He didnât care about his health and just thought heâd rather die.â
Jing Yu: âThere are too many people and eyes in the palace. Yuhua Palace is not somewhere anyone could go in and out of, but the food is distributed uniformly by the imperial kitchen, so there are also many people who had a chance to poison Lord Duanmu.â
The most important thing was, they were now outside the palace, but the person who poisoned him must be inside.
âSince his health was gradually deteriorating, it must be a chronic poison, not a one-time dose.â Ming Shu took out a fruit from nowhere. âSearch out the things or people he comes in contact with every day. There should be a clue.â
âYou talk sense, Lady.â Jing Yu began to suck up to Ming Shu. âItâs good to have a range for searching.â
âIâll go ask about it further...â
...
Duanmu Shu didnât meet many people, and barely walked out of his own palace.
The food that was delivered every day was different, too.
âA-Shu, can you still remember when you started feeling unwell?â
Duanmu Shu leaned against Shen Yan with a pale face. âAbout a month ago.â
By that time he was already feeling a little sick, but he didnât want to tell Shen Yu and endured it by himself for a long time.
If it was really a chronic poison, the time needed to be traced back further.
Shen Yan helped Duanmu Shu recall, but he couldnât remember anything.
âIâm sorry, Your Highness.â
Shen Yan loved Duanmu Shu dearly. âItâs my bad.â
At that time, Shen Yu suddenly took action yet she was almost defenseless. If it were not for Sister Seven... no, Brother Seven, she would probably have been dead now.
Shen Yan comforted Duanmu Shu and then left the room, depressed.
She found herself in the garden of the prime ministerâs house unconsciously. In the middle of the garden stood a table with some rice paper on it, but there was no one there.
Shen Yan looked around, walking forward. The rice paper on the table was an unfinished painting.
âSister Four.â
A clear voice came from the side.
Shen Yan was startled and averted her gaze away from the rice paper. âSis... Brother Seven.â
Shen Pinâs sleeves were slightly rolled up, with his hand holding a clean brush. As he moved, his clothes floated.
His exquisite and luxurious clothes set him off like a piece of exquisitely carved jade.
She only saw him from a distance before. The scope of his movements was small, and most of the time he was with the prime minister, so she had no chance to meet him.
âSister Four, why are you here?â Shen Pin lifted the brush and touched it to the ink, continuing painting with his head lowered. It was like heâd just asked the question casually.
âI was just taking a casual stroll...â Shen Yan said. âWhereâs the prime minister?â
She was outside the room just now. But when she came out, both Jing Yu and the prime minister were gone.
âHer?â Shen Pin raised his voice a little. âShe should be out.â
Since she was not with her, nor with him, she should be out, or she was in the kitchen.
But it seemed embarrassing to say she was in the kitchen, so Shen Pin had to say she was out.
He still needed to maintain his lady wifeâs image.
Shen Yanâs expression became complicated. She never expected that her Sister Seven was actually a male.
âBrother Seven.â
Shen Yan paused for a moment. âI have to thank you for earlier.â
âThank me?â Shen Pin suddenly raised his head and stared at Shen Yan with his dark and deep eyes. He asked word by word, âHow will you thank me, Sister Four?â
Shen Yan was suddenly stunned. Meeting with his eyes, she actually felt uncomfortable.
She averted her gaze. âHow do you want me to thank you, Brother Seven? I donât have anything now...â
Shen Pin also averted his gaze and returned to finish his drawing.
âSister Four, if you really want to thank me, just leave quickly with Duanmu Shu.â
Since they came, she spent less time accompanying him. They even caused trouble for her.
Shen Yan never expected that Shen Pin would make for such a request.
âBrother Seven, rest assured, I will leave.â Itâs indeed not a long-term solution staying at the prime minister mansion.
âSister Four, take care.â
Shen Yan: â...â We are at least brother and sister, do you have to treat me like this now?
For Shen Pin, he had actually already considered their close brother-sister relationship since he didnât have a grudge against her.
Shen Yan glanced at the rice paper. The outline had become clear. It was the prime minister.