Chapter 3

All of them were seasoned palace servants, and they knew too well that there had been countless concubines and servants who had drunk poison in the palace but still survived. The maid's words implied her fear that Rong Shu might not succumb to the poison.

Granny Zhu shot her a sly smile and said, "The wine was laced with 'Third Watch.' Even a grand immortal couldn't save her from it."

At the mention of 'Third Watch,' the maid gasped in shock.

'Third Watch' originated from the Western Regions and was an extremely rare and lethal poison, derived from the saying "Yama, the king of hell, orders your death at third watch; who dares keep you alive till fifth?" Legend had it that the poison contained 49 different toxic substances, and anyone who ingested it would surely die.

What made this poison particularly vicious was not its incurable toxicity, but the excruciating pain it inflicted upon the victim. Those poisoned by 'Third Watch' eventually died from unbearable agony, their bodies posthumously displaying gruesome bleeding from seven orifices and ruptured intestines.

Back when Prince Qiyuan was in charge of the state affairs, he favored using this deadly poison to execute palace concubines and officials. It was even rumored that Prince Qiyuan himself had met his demise due to this same poison...

Perhaps because the drug was too deadly, after the current emperor ascended the throne, 'Third Watch' became forbidden in the palace and gradually vanished.

The maid collected her umbrella and climbed into the carriage, peering through the rain at the secluded gate in the courtyard. She couldn't help but wonder what the young Miss Rong had done to provoke the empress into using such a precious and restricted poison on her.

The carriage trundled along the mountain road, soon disappearing into the downpour.

Inside the house, Rong Shu handed the wooden box to Mother Zhang and said, "Sell these items and then find my mother. The journey to Su Prefecture is treacherous; use this silver to ensure a safe passage. You must both arrive in Su Prefecture alive."

Mother Zhang and the other two women wept uncontrollably, refusing to take the chest.

"Take it quickly. I've already said all that needs to be said. There's no need for further instructions. If my mother asks about me, tell her that I've been sent away by Gu Changjin. Make sure she stays alive to find me."

Rong Shu placed the chest in Mother Zhang's hands, tugging at the corners of her mouth. She continued, "While there's no one outside, hurry and leave. I'm exhausted, so please don't disturb me. Close the door and let me have a good sleep, alright?"

Mother Zhang lifted her tear-stained face, staring intently at Rong Shu before solemnly kneeling and knocking her head three times. In a sorrowful voice, she said, "Old servant, I'm sorry, Miss! Don't worry, I'll take good care of Lady!" With that, she pulled Yingque and Yingyue out of the room.

Rong Shu exhaled slowly and made her way to the couch.

She had felt the pain intensify after drinking the wine. Uttering those words had drained her energy.

She had thought death was imminent, but the pain grew more severe, like a swarm of ants devouring her heart or a raging fire engulfing her body. She was drenched in sweat from the agony.

Rong Shu sat down gradually, listening through the half-open window to the first autumn rain.

Suddenly, she recalled the rainy day when she met Gu Changjin.

It was the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival in the nineteenth year of Jiayou. A sudden downpour on Changan Avenue had hurried her into the Star-Plucking Pavilion, which was already packed with people solving lantern riddles.

The Riddle of the Celestial Star Pavilion was notoriously challenging.

Nine stories high, with eighty-one steps on each level, a riddle for every step. The first person to solve all eighty-one riddles would win the exquisite Celestial Star Lantern.

Seeing that the rain showed no sign of stopping, Rong Shu decided to join the festive crowd, holding her flower lantern aloft. As she climbed higher, the number of people dwindled, until only two figures remained on the ninth floor.

The shopkeeper glanced at the paper Rong Shu offered and said regretfully, "Miss, you're a bit late. Just now, this young gentleman solved the final riddle."

Only then did Rong Shu notice a person standing in a corner.

Dressed in a somewhat worn, dark green robe with a simple wooden lantern in hand, he stood in the ambiguous light and shadow, one hand immersed in the glow, long and slender with distinct joints, shimmering like jade.

When Rong Shu looked his way, their eyes met.

He seemed like a humble man in a plain green robe, but when Rong Shu gazed at him, all she saw was the sharpness in his eyes.

He resembled a pine tree standing firm amidst frosty mountains and treacherous waters, or a cold star flickering in the boundless darkness.

Rong Shu found herself curious about this man from a humble background. However, as he was a stranger, she respectfully averted her gaze after just one glance.

The shopkeeper, perhaps unwilling to disappoint her, added, "In these times, there are fewer and fewer who can solve the eighty-one riddles of the Stargazing Pavilion. If you don't mind, I'll take it upon myself to gift you a Full Moon Lantern."

The Stargazing Lamp was not something she desperately needed, and besides, rules were rules. It was already too late; it had never been meant for her. How could she insist on having it?

Rong Shu smiled politely and declined, lifting the flower lantern to leave. Suddenly, she heard the stranger say, "Shopkeeper, give that Stargazing Lamp to this young lady."

Without waiting for the shopkeeper's response, he turned and descended the stairs. By the time Rong Shu regained her composure and rushed outside, he had vanished into the drizzling autumn rain on Changan Avenue.

And so, he had given her the lamp.

Rong Shu mused to herself: if that fateful night had not seen rain, if she had not ascended the Star-Grasping Tower, perhaps she would never have encountered Gu Changjin. Had they not met, perhaps she could have escaped this deadly ordeal today.

Alas, on the Mid-Autumn Festival night of Jiayou's nineteenth year, a rain fell upon Changan Avenue in the capital city.

Rong Shu developed a profound affection for the Mid-Autumn Festival nights in the capital, to the extent that when it came to selecting an auspicious date for her wedding, she insisted on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival of the twenty-first year of Jiayou, Rong Shu was wedded to Gu Changjin.

Still vivid in her memory was the conversation with her mother before her marriage. Her mother had told her that Gu Changjin had lost his father at a young age, and it was solely due to the tireless efforts of his ailing mother, who supported his education with her sewing, that he became the distinguished Scholar-Official, bringing honor to their family.

The young lad of the Gu family had a tumultuous upbringing, having endured much hardship in his early years. If Zhaozhao is determined to marry him, she must treat him with unwavering devotion and show filial piety towards his mother. Only then will she earn his respect.

She agreed with a smile, promising that she would take good care of Gu Changjin.

In the three years of their marriage, every garment Gu Changjin wore and every bite of food he consumed was prepared by her own hands, demonstrating her meticulous attention to detail.