Chapter 146
The imperial examination was imminent, yet Zhan Feiyu's sudden arrival in Nanxuan Prefecture made Madam Qin unable to avoid overthinking. Even after replaying every event in her mind, she still couldn't fathom Zhan Feiyu's purpose.
"Miss, this is ginseng steamed egg, freshly made by the kitchen. Please have a little. It helps to replenish qi and calm the nerves." Granny Hao brought out the white porcelain bowl from the tray. The aroma of eggs mixed with the medicinal scent of ginseng and lily was appetizing.
Due to mourning her husband, Madam Qin not only dressed plainly but also abstained from meat and fish. Coupled with days of excessive worry and little sleep, she had become much thinner. Her white mourning attire made her appear like a delicate and pitiable white lotus swaying in the wind and rain.
Madam Qin picked up the soup spoon with her slender fingers and began to eat. However, after only a few bites, her appetite waned. She frowned and asked, "Has there been any news from Huang Bin?"
"After the initial visit to Prefect Zhang's residence, he went to the Huang family because of a conflict with the cousin miss," Granny Hao replied quickly, looking worriedly at the increasingly gaunt Madam Qin.
"According to the Huang family servants, Zhan Feiyu will go to Qingya Academy tomorrow. Other than that, she has been staying at the Donghu Inn. The inn's waiters heard reading from her room when delivering food, so it's presumed Zhan Feiyu is preparing for the prefectural examination."
After speaking, Granny Hao couldn't help but urge, "Miss, please eat a few more bites."
With a clatter, the white porcelain spoon was dropped into the bowl. Madam Qin, losing her usual gentle composure, spoke anxiously, "Tell Huang Bin to continue watching. Zhan Feiyu would never come to Nanxuan Prefecture without reason!"
The more she thought about Zhan Feiyu diligently studying even while staying at the inn, the more uneasy Madam Qin became. Her beautiful face contorted.
"Miss, perhaps Zhan Feiyu is merely trying to curry favor with Prefect Zhang by coming to Nanxuan Prefecture early. It might not have anything to do with us," Granny Hao quickly cleaned up the spilled egg custard on the table.
Mentioning Zhan Feiyu, Granny Hao also harbored deep resentment. If not for her, the son-in-law wouldn't have been poisoned, and the miss wouldn't be so anxious and restless.
"No, Granny, since she has come, she must be targeting me." Madam Qin had a premonition of misfortune. Unfortunately, as a woman confined to the inner chambers, a widow who had lost her husband, she could only cower within the grand mansion.
The thought that Zhan Feiyu could openly visit Prefect Zhang, go to the Huang family, and Qingya Academy twisted Madam Qin's face with envy and hatred. They were both women, so why did Zhan Feiyu have a bright future while she had to endure until death guarding her chastity memorial archway!
If Madam Qin, who was so skilled in calculation, couldn't figure it out, Granny Hao certainly couldn't. "I will send a message to Huang Bin shortly. However, he said that the groom beside Zhan Feiyu is a skilled martial artist with strong abilities, making close surveillance impossible."
An eerie silence filled the room. After a long while, laughter suddenly erupted, sending a chill down Granny Hao's spine.
Her pale, bloodless face broke into an unnervingly radiant smile. Madam Qin wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. "A lowly village girl, of such humble origins, how can she possibly have earned the allegiance of those siblings? Heaven is unfair!"
Since Madam Qin had investigated Zhan Feiyu, she naturally knew about the siblings He Nuan and He Sheng who had joined her.
He Nuan was her personal maid. However, the waiters at Donghu Inn revealed that He Nuan was an excellent cook. The aroma emanating from the kitchen of Donghu Xiaoxuan made the inn's guests believe the inn was preparing new dishes.
Furthermore, Zhan Feiyu's hair and attire were all exquisite, perfectly fitting her identity as a scholar, yet not appearing overly luxurious. All of this was thanks to He Nuan. Because she resided in the inner chambers, Madam Qin knew that such senior maids were meticulously trained by noble families, being not only accomplished but also loyal.
He Sheng served as a young attendant and groom, possessing remarkable martial arts skills. He was likely a guard sent by Scholar Gu to protect Zhan Feiyu. Even the Qin family couldn't cultivate such excellent servants; if they did, they would be serving Qin Ye, the heir.
"Granny, tell Huang Bin to come see me tonight." After speaking, Madam Qin picked up a book and began to read.
As night fell, at the Donghu Inn.
Zhan Feiyu set aside her freshly written essay to dry the ink. He Nuan had already arrived with ointment.
"Miss, this is a new ointment prescribed by Doctor Ji. Please try it." He Nuan applied the ointment to Zhan Feiyu's sore and swollen wrist, then skillfully massaged it to help the medicine penetrate the skin and relieve the strain on her wrist from holding the writing brush for extended periods.
"Madam Qin is meeting Huang Bin tonight?" Zhan Feiyu asked with a smile, glancing out the window. It was only the Xu Shi hour, and even if they were to meet, it would be late at night when all was quiet.
He Nuan lowered her head and replied, "Yes, Granny Hao sent a message to Huang Bin. Madam Qin cannot find anything, so she must be somewhat anxious."
For a woman like Madam Qin, who was calculative and shrewd, she was accustomed to controlling the situation. However, after days of surveillance, Huang Bin had found no leads, which must have made Madam Qin uneasy.
"Fat girl, why are you smiling so slyly? What are you planning?" A teasing voice sounded from outside the window. Chong Guang was too lazy to enter the room and leaned against the wall, speaking to Zhan Feiyu through the window. "Are you planning to eavesdrop?"
Zhan Feiyu's eyes sparkled with amusement. She waved her left index finger in front of her. "No, what's the point of eavesdropping? Uncle Chong Guang, what if I took people to catch them in the act?"
With Wan Yunhao's remains not yet cold, Madam Wan meeting someone in the dead of night, tsk tsk, if this news spread, I estimate Madam Qin would have to go to a temple to live a life of quiet contemplation and repentance." Zhan Feiyu was somewhat wary of Wan Yunhao's influence among scholars, and Madam Qin was skilled at manipulating people.
If she were caught in the act, Madam Qin would become a toothless tiger, posing no threat, and it would also serve to suppress the Qin family's reputation. It was simply killing two birds with one stone!
Chong Guang's eyes lit up upon hearing this, but before he could nod in agreement, He Nuan's objection immediately arose, "Miss, Seventh Master will not agree!"
Ugh... Zhan Feiyu was disappointed. Chong Guang shivered with apprehension. If Seventh Master knew he had taken the fat girl to catch someone in the act, Seventh Master would surely skin him alive!
"A Nuan, I absolutely will not show myself." Zhan Feiyu grinned, even playfully shaking He Nuan's hand. "Consider it a meeting gift for Prefect Zhang and the Ming family. Besides, if we don't push Madam Qin, how will she make a move against me?"
The Huang family had an excellent reputation in the medical field, and Zhan Feiyu did not want to harm them. Therefore, to find the person who tampered with the Rensheng Rongyang Pills, she could only follow the clues through Madam Qin.
Of course, if Madam Qin were arrested and interrogated, Chong Guang could extract some information. However, Zhan Feiyu could not be too deeply involved with the Imperial Guards on the surface. Moreover, the Imperial Guards could not arrest people without reason. To the Emperor, if they lost their principles and bottom line, the Imperial Guards would no longer be needed.
"Miss, you already sleep very little each day. If you stay up late again, you'll have even less time to rest." He Nuan turned her head away, unable to look at Zhan Feiyu's pitiful expression, and added sternly, "Doctor Ji said if you don't rest more, you won't grow taller!"
Zhan Feiyu, who was half a head shorter than her peers, had her smile freeze, then crack... Her height was her unspoken pain!
After dark, the entire Wan mansion fell into a deathly silence. Only the lanterns along the corridors cast a dim light. The gentle breeze swayed the tree shadows, adding a touch of eeriness and chill to the quiet courtyard.
At this moment, outside the courtyard wall, the caught duo stood with their backs against the wall, looking utterly cowardly.
"Seventh Master, I brought the fat girl out for some fresh air..." The voice grew softer and softer. Chong Guang wore a bitter expression. He was sure he was incompatible with the fat girl!
With her feet together and hands by her sides, Zhan Feiyu stood ramrod straight, her short, stout figure held perfectly at attention, a perfect military posture.
Yin Wuyan's cold gaze swept over them. With a subtle gesture, Chong Guang, who had narrowly escaped, immediately leaped off the ground and vanished without a trace, like a cowardly comrade who would rather see his friend suffer than himself.
Uncle Chong Guang is truly disloyal! Zhan Feiyu almost wanted to drag the fleeing Chong Guang back, but at this moment, she tilted her head back and smiled obsequiously, "Big Brother, why are you here?"
"Nonsense!" His voice was cold but lacked anger. Yin Wuyan looked helplessly at Zhan Feiyu, who revealed a row of small white teeth. "You just need to prepare well for the prefectural and academy examinations. The rest can be handled by me and Scholar Gu."
Zhan Feiyu was definitely pushing her luck. As soon as she saw Yin Wuyan's attitude soften, she immediately said with a smile, "There are some matters that are inconvenient for you to handle."
To a certain extent, Yin Wuyan and Gu Qingzhou were both solitary officials, which was why they earned the Emperor's trust. Nanxuan Prefecture, as well as Jiangnan Dao, involved the Chen family and the First Prince. If they were to intervene, it might lead to suspicion that they were targeting the First Prince, and delving deeper, it would be interfering with the succession.
However, Zhan Feiyu was different. She was a nine-year-old girl. Even if she passed the academy examination, she would only be a minor scholar. She was merely leveraging the situation. When the Chen family made the first move, Yin Wuyan and Gu Qingzhou could guide the development of events from behind the scenes without being detected.
Yin Wuyan stroked Zhan Feiyu's small head and could only acquiesce. "I'll take you inside."
Zhan Feiyu's eyes lit up instantly. She nodded. "Big Brother, we'll be invisible later, so we won't be detected."
If Chong Guang had accompanied them, even if they wanted to eavesdrop, they could only hide on the roof or in the trees in the courtyard. The former was easily discovered, as Huang Bin was also a martial artist, and likely quite skilled.
As for hiding in the trees, once the doors and windows were closed, they wouldn't be able to hear the conversation inside, making the trip in vain.
But with Yin Wuyan's arrival, it was different. Zhan Feiyu had already revealed her invisibility ability. Therefore, even if they stood in front of Madam Qin and Huang Bin, they wouldn't worry about their whereabouts being exposed.
The simple and elegant room held a faint scent of sandalwood. Madam Qin was still in her white mourning attire, her casually pinned hair adorned with only a white silk flower. She sat by the window, the candlelight casting a soft glow, creating a picture of a beauty by lamplight.
The door was not closed, and a figure swept in like the wind.
Only when the door closed did Madam Qin by the window seem to be startled. She turned her head, and a tear trickled down from the corner of her eye, tracing a path across her fair cheek before falling onto her collar.
Unable to speak, Zhan Feiyu stared blankly at Madam Qin. Even as an enemy, she had to admit that Madam Qin was a beautiful and captivating enemy. One needed high颜值 to support the role of a white lotus!
Huang Bin softly called out Madam Qin's childhood name, "Qingqing."
"You've come." Madam Qin forced a smile, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, glistening with tiny tears that could captivate any man.
"I remember you love Yunwu tea the most." Madam Qin quickly turned around, facing away from Huang Bin, and began to boil tea.
A few strands of her black hair fell loose as she turned, revealing a neck as white as jade. Her slender waist, combined with her graceful tea-boiling movements, made Huang Bin unable to hide the surging affection in his eyes as he gazed at her.
Oh... In an instant, Zhan Feiyu's eyes widened. But before she could watch any longer, a large hand covered her eyes, plunging her into darkness.
Embracing Madam Qin from behind, Huang Bin lowered his head and placed a warm kiss on her fair neck. "Qingqing, you've become so much thinner."
The delicate, ungraspable waist made Huang Bin's heart ache. The woman he had admired for years was now so thin. The thought that the Qin family would rather have her live as a widow, wasting her years in this mansion, than remarry, made Huang Bin's heart ache even more.
Her body stiffened for a moment. Madam Qin raised her hand as if to pry open Huang Bin's hands resting on her waist, but the moment she touched him, she "involuntarily" clasped his hands. "Let go. I am already a withered flower. You shouldn't have come here. It's my fault... I shouldn't have asked Granny to send you a message... Leave..."
A choked sob escaped her. Madam Qin lowered her head, tears falling one by one. Her thin, frail body trembled slightly, as if suppressing unspeakable pain and helplessness.
"Qingqing." Huang Bin's voice was hoarse. He suddenly turned her around, and seeing her tearful, pained expression, Huang Bin could no longer control himself and lowered his head to kiss her.
Her eyes were still covered, but with her vision gone, her ears seemed to become even sharper. Hearing the slightly rapid breaths and the sound of exchanging kisses, Zhan Feiyu's eyes widened even further. This was getting intense. Were they going to put on a live performance?
Yin Wuyan was too lazy to watch the couple embracing by the bedside, but he felt a fluttering sensation in his palm, like a small fan brushing against his palm. This forced Yin Wuyan to pull her into his embrace.
Zhan Feiyu's body stiffened. She rested her head against Yin Wuyan's shoulder, one ear pressed down, and the other covered by his hand. Now she couldn't even hear the sound.
Fortunately, Madam Qin was well-versed in matters of the heart. After the uncontrolled kiss, she quickly pushed Huang Bin away. However, her body lost its strength, and she leaned against him limply, breathing slightly heavily. Her cheeks were flushed as if painted with rouge, making Huang Bin's gaze even gentler. He tightened his embrace around her.