The carriage moved at a steady pace, and in about half an hour, they arrived at the entrance of Pear Blossom Lane.
Doctor Zhang, who had been worried about his wife at home for many days, hurried towards his doorstep as soon as he alighted from the carriage, his expression somewhat anxious.
Feng Jinyao and her brother followed a few steps behind, with several servants carrying thank-you gifts trailing them. The group tidied themselves up before entering the courtyard gate.
Not long after crossing the threshold, they heard Doctor Zhang's solicitous voice.
"Why do I think you've lost weight? Have you not been eating properly these past few days while I was away?" He circled Madam Zhang, looking her up and down with great displeasure.
Madam Zhang, however, looked exasperated. She hadn't lost weight at all; the old man was simply mistaken.
"Lost weight? What are you talking about? How are you? Are you alright?"
"What could happen to me? I've been through worse before... and I came through it, didn't I?"
Doctor Zhang spoke casually, but his words brought back many past memories for Madam Zhang, and she couldn't help but sigh. "Right, that..."
Before she could finish, she turned and saw the siblings walking in, looking quite surprised.
He coughed twice, as if to cover something up, then put on a polite smile, appearing very amiable and approachable.
"And these two are..."
"From the Feng family. This is the Third Miss Feng who sent you back last time."
Upon hearing "Third Miss Feng," Madam Zhang's eyes lit up. She looked the young lady up and down. Although she appeared a bit tired and her complexion wasn't the best, it couldn't conceal her peerless beauty and ethereal demeanor. Madam Zhang was extremely pleased, almost blurting out, "How old is Miss? Is she engaged yet?"
Feng Jinlin was a little confused. Why did this scene feel like they were vetting a daughter-in-law? He hadn't heard that Doctor Zhang had any offspring.
Feng Jinyao, on the other hand, stood with great composure, allowing herself to be scrutinized, and respectfully said, "Greetings, Auntie."
"Good, good. Miss is truly beautiful. No wonder she's the daughter of the foremost beauty in the Eastern Capital. 'A beauty that could topple cities and nations' is a fitting description."
Feng Jinyao smiled faintly at this remark.
This auntie was quite interesting, speaking so openly on their first meeting. Her disposition truly matched Doctor Zhang's.
"You flatter me, Auntie."
Her demeanor was graceful and uninhibited, without the slightest hint of awkwardness. Madam Zhang liked her even more for it.
"Did my old man cause any trouble at your home?" Doctor Zhang was about to retort, but Feng Jinyao spoke first, explaining, "Uncle Shou saved my nephew. If he hadn't been there, my nephew might have been parted from us forever. How could he have caused trouble? We are all too grateful to him."
"Uncle Shou?" Hearing Feng Jinyao's address, Madam Zhang looked somewhat surprised. She hadn't heard this name mentioned in years, except...
With that, the smile in her eyes became even more unrestrained.
"That's good. My old man has a bad temper and offended many important people in the past. I was afraid his stubbornness might lead him to clash with the masters and madams of the household, which would not be good."
Madam Zhang explained on behalf of her husband, and Feng Jinlin interjected.
"Auntie is truly remarkable. Only you truly know the Doctor!"
He didn't elaborate, but Madam Zhang understood the implication. His temper must have flared, but the Feng family, out of gratitude for the life-saving favor, wouldn't voice their displeasure.
She shot a glance at her husband and then looked at Feng Jinlin with a hint of apology.
"My old man is ignorant. I hope the Second Young Master will explain things to our elders and avoid any misunderstandings."
Her words made Feng Jinlin feel a bit humbled. He had only been joking. He hadn't expected Madam Zhang to be so sincere. Moreover, they didn't seem to be intimidated by power; rather, they appeared to want to leave a good impression on the Feng family.
"Auntie, I was just joking. Doctor Zhang has been a great help to our Feng family. In the future, I would gladly go through fire and water for him."
"That's good, that's good. Have you two had breakfast? Why don't you stay and have something? I just finished making it."
Madam Zhang was enthusiastically inviting them, but the Feng siblings had been reunited after a long time and were waiting for them to return. Thus, they had to decline.
"In a couple of days, send someone to collect the medicine."
Feng Jinyao nodded, but Doctor Zhang saw that she seemed not to have understood and added, "It's for your mother. Although her poisoning is mild, she needs rest. Otherwise, if the poison enters her heart, it could lead to madness, or even death."
The siblings were stunned by this revelation.
When had their mother been poisoned? And how had Doctor Zhang discovered it?
A string of questions formed in Feng Jinlin's mind, but before he could voice them, Feng Jinyao spoke first.
"Does Uncle Shou mean that the flowers and plants in Mother's room are poisonous?"
"Yes, you're not foolish."
He had only mentioned it casually in the mansion, and he hadn't expected her to be so sharp.
"If you have the chance, bring those flowers and plants over for me to see. I haven't seen that thing in many years. If I'm not mistaken, it's a famous species from the Western Regions."
Doctor Zhang's words cast a shadow over the siblings' faces. The traitor within the household was repeatedly trying to kill their mother. Who could it be?
Could it be related to the Second Uncle's branch of the family?
After all, the people who cultivated those plants were sent by the Second Branch.
In an instant, countless possibilities flashed through Feng Jinyao's mind, but none were certain.
"Don't worry, Uncle Shou. I'll bring them for you to see in a few days."
With that, they rose to take their leave. Before leaving, Feng Jinyao glanced at the items placed on the table, her eyes deepening. This scene was observed by someone, who thought her mind was indeed meticulous.
The thank-you gifts left behind were piled on the table, quite valuable. However, Doctor Zhang and his wife, accustomed to the gifts sent by Xiao Tingyi, didn't show much surprise.
As the sound of the carriage gradually faded, the two people inside the inner room finally emerged.
Doctor Zhang's eyes widened in recognition. It was Xiao Tingyi and Yang Zhao. He then patted his chest and said, "You scared me to death, appearing out of nowhere. But, Your Highness, what are you doing here?"
Madam Zhang shot him another look. "Don't even start. You were gone for so long, I was worried sick. It was only when His Highness sent word that I felt relieved. I even ate New Year's Eve dinner with this old woman here."
These past few days, Xiao Tingyi had been visiting from time to time to keep his wet nurse company and ease her worries.
"Is that so? Then why just now..."
"It's best if fewer people know about the wet nurse's identity, otherwise, it will cause more trouble," Xiao Tingyi said calmly, his eyes holding a hint of curiosity.
"How did Uncle Shou discover that Madam Feng was poisoned?"
"She carried the scent of the Azure Flame Flower. That thing is most peculiar. It only blooms in winter and remains vibrant until someone perishes. The scent I detected was faint, indicating it hasn't been more than a month. If one has been in its company for over a year, even the Great Immortal Luo couldn't save them."
Mentioning this, Doctor Zhang's expression became unusually serious.
The Azure Flame Flower, he hadn't seen this in a very long time. Xiao Tingyi's lips curved into a smile. It seemed the person harming the Feng family had truly gone to great lengths.