Chapter 70

Chapter 70

"How can we let you watch over the medicine?" Cai Niang said with a smile.

Xiao Yu insisted, "I, Brother Sanwu, and Sister Yuan are all family. It's no trouble."

Cai Niang continued to deter him, "Everything's taken care of. Just need to boil it, no need to keep an eye on it."

"Xiao Yu, don’t bother yourself," Yuan Niang intervened.

Xiao Yu knew Yuan Niang meant well, but Cai Niang had ulterior motives. Without concrete evidence, he didn't want to stir trouble. So, he acquiesced to Cai Niang and nodded in agreement.

Cai Niang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Yuan Niang said, "Xiao Yu, come in and sit for a while."

With concerns on his mind, Xiao Yu replied, "Sister-in-law, you should rest. I won’t sit now. I'll bring you food later."

Knowing Xiao Yu was always busy, Yuan Niang agreed.

"Egg, do you want to stay here and play with Yaya?" Xiao Yu asked, looking down at Egg.

"Sure," Egg responded.

Xiao Yu instructed, "Don’t disturb Aunt Yuan, okay?"

Egg nodded in understanding.

Xiao Yu then left Song Sanwu's house with Minghe and Yu Tongtong.

"Xiao Yu!" Lu Ming, leaning out of the second-floor window of the Little River Tavern, waved at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu glanced up to see him and Kong Eleven, giving them both a cold look.

Lu Ming turned to Pei Yanli, "Is Xiao Yu still mad?"

Pei Yanli's handsome face was serious and somber.

Lu Ming commented, "I already apologized, he really holds a grudge."

"Don't provoke him next time," Pei Yanli said as he got up to go downstairs.

"I didn't provoke him," Lu Ming muttered, following downstairs.

Xiao Yu entered the tavern and bumped into the two men, but he ignored them and headed straight to the backyard. Then, suddenly remembering something, he stopped, turned back to them, and said, "Twelve, come here for a minute."

Lu Ming glanced at Pei Yanli and then followed Xiao Yu.

They reached the locust tree in the backyard.

Lu Ming tentatively asked, "Xiao Yu, are you not angry anymore?"

Xiao Yu responded, "I wasn't angry."

"Then why have you been looking at us like we're something dirty these past few days? What's really going on?" Lu Ming inquired.

What’s the matter?

Naturally, it was about a shameless man who, while embracing his wife and having a son, was also flirting with other men. Knowing that Lu Ming, a man from ancient times, would probably dismiss it as 'nothing unusual,' Xiao Yu decided not to bring it up and simply said, "It's nothing, just some worries."

Lu Ming asked, "What worries?"

Xiao Yu, avoiding the topic of the shameless man, instead asked, "Do you know any highly skilled doctors? The kind with exceptional medical skills?" He still suspected Cai Niang of slowly poisoning Yue Niang to death, and since Doctor Li hadn't noticed anything, it indicated the need for someone more skilled.

"A doctor? Who’s sick?" Lu Ming inquired.

"Never mind that, do you know any?" Xiao Yu wasn't ready to explain to Lu Ming.

"No," Lu Ming answered directly.

Xiao Yu countered, "Aren't you an official?"

"What about it?"

"Officials have power."

"I may have power, but I can't magically produce medical skills out of thin air," Lu Ming suddenly remembered someone, "Actually, there is someone!"

"Who?" Xiao Yu asked eagerly.

"Kong Eleven. Although his medical skills are not as miraculous as those in the capital, he is definitely better than anyone in Qingshi Town," Lu Ming confidently stated.

Xiao Yu was skeptical.

Lu Ming insisted, "I’m not deceiving you. His medical skills are really good, especially with poisons from the border areas." Pei Yanli had learned much about poisoning and antidotes during his time fighting at the border. When he was injured and poisoned by an assassin on his way back to the capital, he took refuge in room number one of the Shuiqing Inn's second floor to treat his wounds and detoxify himself.

Poison?

Yue Niang's life being of utmost importance, Xiao Yu set aside any concerns about disreputable men and immediately left Lu Ming behind to find Pei Yanli on the second floor: "Eleven."

Xiao Yu had been ignoring everyone these past days, so his sudden call surprised and delighted Pei Yanli, who quickly put down his tea bowl and approached Xiao Yu.

"Do you know medical skills?" Xiao Yu asked.

Pei Yanli nodded, "A little."

Kong Eleven wasn't one to boast; in fact, he was always modest. If he said 'a little,' it meant a lot. Xiao Yu said, "Can you help me with something?"

Pei Yanli asked, "What do you need?"

Xiao Yu said, "Can you discreetly examine someone?"

"Discreetly?" Pei Yanli was puzzled.

Xiao Yu briefly explained Yue Niang's situation to Pei Yanli.

At noon, Xiao Yu prepared chicken soup, green vegetables with tofu, steamed fish, and potato slices for Yue Niang and Cai Niang, and made pumpkin cups and vegetable cakes for Ya Ya and Danzi, before heading to Song Sanwu's house with Pei Yanli.

"Uncle!" Danzi greeted them as they arrived.

Cai Niang, holding Ya Ya, came to welcome them and blushed upon seeing Pei Yanli, asking, "Who is this gentleman?"

A man attracting unwanted attention!

Xiao Yu cursed inwardly but replied aloud, "A carpenter."

"A carpenter?" Cai Niang looked at Pei Yanli skeptically, feeling he didn't quite look the part.

Xiao Yu quickly improvised, "A carpenter... actually, he's the boss of a carpenter. The house design for Brother Sanwu was drawn by him. It’s been a few years now, so he's come to check on it and do some repairs, maybe earn some extra silver."

"I see," Cai Niang said.

"Where should we start the inspection?" Xiao Yu asked.

"We should get the homeowner's permission first," Pei Yanli noted.

"Oh right, of course." Xiao Yu then asked, "Where is Nurse Yue?"

"She's been sleeping ever since she took her medicine," Cai Niang replied.

Indeed asleep, Xiao Yu asked, "Has she been sleeping for a long time?"

"Yes, the auntie has been too busy to help recently, and cousin usually takes care of the children alone. She must be exhausted and really needs the rest," Cai Niang said with a worried look, but her implication was clear: she didn’t want Xiao Yu and Pei Yanli to disturb Yue Niang.

Pretending to be oblivious, Xiao Yu asked, "Can she eat something?"

"I'll bring her some food later," Cai Niang offered.

What is this about?

Is she preventing outsiders from seeing Yue Niang?

Xiao Yu, growing more certain of Cai Niang's guilt, said, "Then Mr. Kong can't inspect the house, can he?"

"Maybe we could start with the other rooms?" Cai Niang suggested.

Pei Yanli repeated, "We need the homeowner's permission."

Cai Niang still wouldn’t relent, "My cousin is rarely sleeping so soundly—"

Xiao Yu discreetly nudged Danzi.

Danzi turned back to look at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu gestured towards the bedroom with his eyes.

"I'll go call Aunt Yue!" Danzi immediately ran towards the bedroom, shouting, "Aunt Yue, it's time to eat! Aunt Yue, my uncle has brought food!"

"Danzi!" Cai Niang failed to stop him, annoyance showing on her face.

Yue Niang, always sensible, came out upon hearing Xiao Yu had brought food, looking even more haggard.

"Sister-in-law, didn’t you take your medicine? Why do you seem worse?" Xiao Yu stepped forward, blocking Cai Niang's view, and kept talking to Yue Niang.

It was the first time Yue Niang felt so severely ill from a cold, her head heavy and body numb. Thus, when Pei Yanli checked her pulse, she barely noticed, struggling to maintain her composure while talking to Xiao Yu.

"Cousin, with an illness like pulling out silk, you should rest more," Cai Niang approached.

Pei Yanli quickly withdrew his hand, his gaze intensely scanning Yue Niang's face.

Yue Niang smiled, "I'll sleep after eating."

Holding Ya Ya in one arm and supporting Yue Niang with the other, Cai Niang said, "Cousin, let's go back to your room."

Yue Niang slowly walked into the room, saying, "I don't know what's wrong this time. Catching a cold feels worse than childbirth."

Cai Niang immediately responded, "It's because childbirth weakened your body."

Yue Niang didn’t argue and sat down to eat, quickly becoming very tired.

Cai Niang helped her to rest.

Pei Yanli had already quickly inspected each room while he had the chance but found no items that could harm Yue Niang’s health. He said to Cai Niang, "There's nothing here that needs fixing."

Xiao Yu said, "Thank you for taking care of Aunt Yue."

"Of course," Cai Niang smiled.

After leaving Song Sanwu's house, Xiao Yu immediately asked Pei Yanli, "What do you think?"

"It does appear to be a cold," Pei Yanli replied.

"How is that possible!" Xiao Yu couldn't believe it: "Who gets this weak from just catching a cold in one day?"

"Based on both the pulse and her complexion, the symptoms are of a cold. There were no items related to poisoning, but—" Pei Yanli paused, then added, "this doesn’t mean she wasn’t poisoned."

Xiao Yu urged, "Explain in detail."

"There’s a plant on the border that, when consumed, shows symptoms of a cold without affecting daily life," Pei Yanli explained with a slight frown. "But Yue Niang's symptoms are somewhat severe."

"Why so severe?"

"The person administering it might have miscalculated the dosage, making the poisoning more severe."

That's outrageous!

Suppressing his anger, Xiao Yu asked, "How can we confirm if Yue Niang has been poisoned?"

"Silver needle blood test."

Xiao Yu thought for a moment, "Does it mean inserting a silver needle into the skin?"

Pei Yanli nodded.

"Okay, I'll handle that."

Pei Yanli nodded in agreement.

That evening, when Xiao Yu came to bring food again, Danzi once more woke Yue Niang.

Yue Niang appeared even weaker.

While Cai Niang was not paying attention, Xiao Yu pricked Yue Niang's arm with a silver needle. Seeing her unresponsive, he felt a pang of heartache, then showed the blackened needle to Pei Yanli.

Pei Yanli confirmed with a nod, "Indeed, it’s Willow Leaf Poison."

Xiao Yu asked, "Willow leaf assassination?"

"Yes," Pei Yanli said. "Willow leaf kill is a plant from the borderlands, resistant to cold and drought, resembling willow leaves. It's usually harmless, but when dried and boiled with water or a medicinal solution, it can dissolve colorlessly and tastelessly, creating the illusion of catching a cold. Over time, it weakens the body, leading to death."

That's it!

In the book 'Emperor's Dream,' Lady Yue died from physical depletion and a difficult childbirth. Xiao Yu anxiously asked, "Is there an antidote?"

"I've sent someone to prepare it; we should be able to get it by tomorrow," replied Pei Yanli.

"Then we still need to find evidence," Xiao Yu said.

"Medicine residue," Pei Yanli suggested.

"I'll go have a look," Xiao Yu declared.

"I'll come with you."

"Okay."

The two arrived at Song Sanwu's courtyard wall. As Xiao Yu was figuring out how to peer over the wall, suddenly he felt light, and Kong Shi Yi pulled him up to a nearby tree, startling him.

Pei Yanli stretched out his arm to steady Xiao Yu by the waist.

Xiao Yu felt a jolt, as if electrified, and immediately pushed Pei Yanli's hand away.

Pei Yanli, slightly embarrassed, withdrew his hand, scratching his sword-like eyebrows and refrained from touching Xiao Yu again.

Using the candlelight from Song Sanwu's courtyard, they saw Cai Niang cautiously pick up a medicine jar, pour the liquid into a bowl, strain the residue, and throw it directly into the stove to burn, before finally taking the medicine to the bedroom.

Xiao Yu looked at Pei Yanli speechlessly.

"Destroying evidence," Pei Yanli stated.

"This also proves that the medicine residue is indeed problematic. We need to obtain it to clarify the evidence and present it to Lady Yue and Song Sanwu," Xiao Yu said.

Pei Yanli replied deftly, "Hmm, that's simple. We can achieve that tomorrow."

Xiao Yu also had a plan, saying, "Let's get down."

Pei Yanli then jumped down.

Xiao Yu, lacking martial arts skills, couldn't make such a high jump.

Pei Yanli suddenly raised his hands and said, "I'll catch you."

"Scoundrel, still flirting!" Xiao Yu cursed internally. He turned around, preparing to descend slowly.

Pei Yanli shook his head, climbed up again, and helped Xiao Yu down.

Xiao Yu pushed him away and walked towards Xiaohexi Restaurant.

The next morning, Song Sanwu woke up and was wiping Lady Yue's face and hands.

Lady Yue said, "Husband, the sun is already high. Why aren't you going to work?"

"I'm not going today. I'll stay home and take care of you," Song Sanwu replied.

Lady Yue disapproved, "How can that be? If you don't go, we won't have money. What will we use to support me and Yaya?"

"Money is not as important as you," Song Sanwu insisted, worried as he saw no improvement in Lady Yue's illness.

"I just caught a cold. I'll be fine soon. Don't make a fuss over it. Besides, with Cai Niang here, I'm alright." Lady Yue finally persuaded Song Sanwu to leave. She lay quietly, wondering why her illness was so severe, but before she could think further, drowsiness overwhelmed her, and she drifted back into a deep sleep.

Holding Yaya, Cai Niang approached and saw Lady Yue asleep again. Gently touching Yaya's cheek, she softly said, "Cousin, rest well. I'll prepare more medicine for you."

"Mommy, mommy," Yaya mumbled unclearly.

"Yaya, be good. Don't disturb mommy's sleep," Cai Niang told Yaya kindly and gently.

Yaya, still an oblivious child, soon behaved quietly.

Cai Niang continued to prepare medicine for Lady Yue.

Xiao Yu arrived, pushing a cart full of watermelons, and called out happily, "Cai Niang, Cai Niang!"

"Ah," Cai Niang responded, holding Yaya at the doorway.

Xiao Yu handed her two watermelons, "Grown in our own garden, for you to enjoy."

Cai Niang's family always liked to take advantage of others. She said hesitantly, "How could I accept this," while secretly delighted.

"We're neighbors after all. Shall I bring them inside for you?"

"Thank you for the trouble."

After delivering the watermelons, Xiao Yu continued to the next house.

Cai Niang, pleased with the two large watermelons, carried on with her brewing. Like before, she first destroyed the medicine residue, then fed the concoction to Lady Yue, saying, "Cousin, sleep a bit more. You'll feel much better. I'll take Yaya to the market to buy some vegetables."

Lady Yue weakly replied, "There's some small change on the table. Take it with you. Don’t skimp; buy whatever you want. I've been a burden these past few days."

"Cousin, you should rest," Cai Niang said, cradling Yaya and heading to the market.

Lady Yue lay back down.

Cai Niang didn’t hold back at all. Besides vegetables, she bought cosmetics for herself, returning home too tired to carry Yaya, and placed her in a nearby bamboo basket.

"Yaya!" The egg suddenly ran in from outside, scooping Yaya out of the basket and tightly holding her, rushing towards the main room.

Cai Niang was momentarily puzzled by the egg's actions.

The egg’s little legs moved quickly, but being only four years old, he struggled to keep balance and veered towards a wall. Sensing the danger, he yelled, "Little Uncle, catch Yaya quickly, I’m going to fall! I’m going to fall!"

Xiao Yu, having already dashed out upon seeing the egg hold Yaya, now securely embraced both children and entered the main room.

Only then did Cai Niang notice several people in the room. Seeing one of them, her face turned pale in an instant: "Cousin, cousin."