Xie Jinyu stord to the front yard in fury.
The Duke Mansion had a front gate and two side gates.
The gatekeeping old won were under Princess Nanzhang’s control; Xie Jinyu asked about the people who left the mansion yesterday, and the won rembered clearly.
Only two maids left Agarwood Pavilion in the morning, and after they left, Su Jin threatened Princess Nanzhang.
For Su Jin, the incident of deceiving Marquis Dongxiang with the pills was an amulet to avoid punishnt, so they were cleared of suspicion.
Xie Jinyu was clever enough to turn his attention to the maids and old won who left the mansion after Su Jin threatened Princess Nanzhang.
Excluding them, more than half of the suspects were eliminated.
Xie Jinyu summoned everyone for questioning one by one.
In Duke Zhen Country Mansion, aside from Su Jin trampling upon Princess Nanzhang’s dignity, she was long established with authority to command others without question.
Xie Jinyu had learned so tactics from being around Princess Nanzhang.
With a chilly glance, the guilty servant dared not et her eyes.
Thirty lashes left the servant’s skin torn, yet the servant stubbornly refused to confess.
The servant had a sister, unable to bear seeing her brother be beaten to death, she ca to beg for rcy and then exposed Jinzhu, Xie Jinxiu’s personal maid.
Yesterday, Jinzhu approached her brother and secretly gave him a purse.
The old woman searched the servant’s room and indeed found a purse under the pillow, containing seven silver coins.
Xie Jinyu and Xie Jinxiu began arguing.
Xie Jinxiu loudly claid she was wronged, and Jinzhu insisted she never gave the servant a purse.
The purse was not hand-sewn by her, thus Xie Jinyu couldn’t do much about her.
Then—
The matter blew up at Qihao Hall.
Princess Nanzhang never expected the one spreading rumors and ruining her reputation, while framing Su Jin, was Xie Jinxiu.
For Third Master’s illness, she had spent so much money, only to end up with a ruined reputation.
How could she swallow this grievance?
Jinzhu took the bla herself, for she couldn’t bear seeing Princess Nanzhang threatened by the Eldest Young Madam, sparing the Eldest Young Madam, only punishing her own girl.
Out of anger, she decided to have the servant reveal the matter.
Usually, with a maid taking the bla, the matter would be overlooked.
Recently, Princess Nanzhang’s fury especially towards the Third House has been imnse.
Ruining her reputation, thinking pushing out one maid would quench her rage? It’s a fool’s dream!
Jinzhu was beaten to death.
Xie Jinxiu was punished to kneel for three hours.
And this ti it was a genuine three-hour punishnt.
Princess Nanzhang posted a maid to watch over; if Xie Jinxiu dared to slack off, three more hours would be added.
These events were unknown to Su Jin who had left the mansion.
At this mont, she was frantically changing into n’s clothing with the assistance of Xingxing.
The Hidden Guard drove the carriage, Xie Jingchen was absent.
His back was injured, so he didn’t go to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion to be punished.
Marquis Jibei waited at the streetcorner; the Hidden Guard drove the carriage over and said, "Sorry to keep Old Marquis waiting."
"It’s alright," Marquis Jibei’s stern face softened.
Marquis Jibei led the way in front, with the carriage following behind.
It stopped at the gate in front of Duke Chong’s Mansion adjacent to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.
Marquis Jibei alighted from the carriage, and the Hidden Guard set up a stool for Su Jin to use as a step.
Seeing Su Jin in a brocade robe, Marquis Jibei slightly paused.
"I’m afraid Old Marquis must be amused," Su Jin said, blushing.
"Later Duke Chong might co; his eyes are sharp, don’t blush and reveal our plot," Marquis Jibei said with a smile.
Su Jin nodded in agreent.
Duke Chong’s Mansion.
Beside the sickbed of Old Duke Chong, Duke Chong stared at the emaciated Old Duke Chong.
Imperial Physician was checking Old Duke Chong’s pulse.
"How is Old Duke doing?" Duke Chong asked.
"Old Duke’s condition hasn’t improved," replied the Imperial Physician.
"Incompetent doctor! After all this ti, there’s still no sign of recovery!" Duke Chong shouted angrily.
The Imperial Physician looked terrified.
Outside, a maid entered and said, "My lord, Marquis Jibei has co to visit Old Duke."
Duke Chong restrained his anger sowhat before stepping out.
Marquis Jibei had guessed that Duke Chong might co but hadn’t expected him to arrive even earlier.
Ever since Old Duke Chong fell ill, whenever Marquis Jibei visited, Duke Chong showed up.
He thought this would be an exception.
Duke Chong greeted them and said, "During these years of my father’s serious illness, Old Marquis often cos to visit. Having such a close friend is my father’s fortune."
Marquis Jibei sighed and said, "Old Duke spent his life on the battlefield, with illustrious military achievents, yet he was hard this way; I can’t bear it."
"I will definitely find the culprit and avenge my father," Duke Chong said.
After speaking, his gaze fell upon Su Jin who wore a mask.
"Who is this?" Duke Chong asked.
Su Jin remained silent.
Marquis Jibei said, "This is Mr. Mo, a doctor I encountered on my return to the Capital; his dical skill is extraordinary, and I specially invited him to the Capital to check Old Duke’s pulse. He arrived just two days ago."
"A ’Mo’? Is this perhaps a royal surna?" Duke Chong remarked with a smile.
With so many surnas, Su Jin didn’t know why Marquis Jibei assigned her a royal surna, she said, "I wonder if my ’Mo’ surna can claim any kinship with the Imperial Family through generations."
"Judging by the voice, Mr. Mo seems quite young, but he has a sense of humor," Duke Chong said with a smile.
Marquis Jibei said, "Let’s head inside to check Old Duke’s pulse."
After saluting Marquis Jibei, the Imperial Physician stepped aside.
Su Jin sat by the bedside to check Old Duke Chong’s pulse.
The Duchess of Chong entered the room.
Su Jin’s mask concealed her expression, but her brows furrowed slightly.
After a mont of pulse-checking, she released her hand.
"Can he be treated?" Duke Chong asked.
Su Jin shook her head, "Allow to ponder and co up with a prescription, but don’t hold too much hope."
Duke Chong looked disappointed.
Su Jin stood up and walked out.
Marquis Jibei sat by the bedside to chat with Old Duke Chong.
Since Old Duke Chong couldn’t speak, Marquis Jibei only stayed for a short while before taking his leave.
The Duchess of Chong escorted them out of the mansion.
Su Jin boarded the carriage, and the Hidden Guard drove it forward.
Yet it didn’t travel far before stopping.
Marquis Jibei asked, "How is Old Duke Chong’s condition?"
"Old Duke Chong is afflicted with a severe poison; surviving this is already a feat. To detoxify him will be exceedingly difficult," Su Jin replied.
"Is there no solution at all?" Marquis Jibei sighed.
"There are two ways," Su Jin said.
Marquis Jibei’s dim gaze brightened once more but quickly faded again.
Su Jin’s two thods—
One is to locate the formula of the poison, then she can detoxify according to it.
The other involves using her secret technique to gradually purge the poison from Old Duke’s body.
The forr thod carries no real danger, but Su Jin has only a fifty percent chance with the latter, considering Old Duke is quite aged.
Although the Emperor dispatched people to guard Old Duke, anyone wishing to visit Old Duke must obtain Duke Chong’s consent.
She couldn’t possibly sneak from Dongxiang Marquis Mansion over the walls to detoxify Old Duke every day?
Frequent outings have already raised concerns at Duke Zhen Country Mansion.
"The imdiate task isn’t detoxification but nourishing Old Duke’s health. I’m afraid he won’t last through the next half year," Su Jin said.
Marquis Jibei nodded, distressed by Old Duke’s frail state.
The Hidden Guard sat on the shaft of the carriage; with a twitch of his ear, a cold grin appeared on his lips.
"The ones trailing us have arrived."
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