Chapter 63 The Second Son’s Anger

Chapter 63: Second Young Master's Fury

Second Young Master's smile was gentle, yet Jian Ru felt a chill run down his spine. He cried out, "Sun Yushuang means no good—he’s lying!"

Second Young Master nodded. "I thought so too at first."

As Second Young Master drew closer, Jian Ru retreated further into the bed, raising his hands to press against his chest. "No... listen to me..."

Second Young Master remained silent, wordlessly pulling Jian Ru from the bed. Jian Ru frantically reached for the blanket, but it was quickly tugged away, and even his ankles were firmly grasped.

Second Young Master had recovered, and his strength had increased. Moreover, he was, after all, a young man. Jian Ru’s resistance proved futile, so he pitifully called out, "Jin Tong..."

This time, Second Young Master responded with a soft "Hmm."

Seeing this, Jian Ru felt a flicker of hope and was about to defend himself when his legs were parted. The area that had been so thoroughly worked the previous night was still tender, and with little effort, he was fully penetrated.

The sudden intrusion made Jian Ru throw his head back with a gasp, his eyelashes dampening from the stimulation.

Second Young Master leaned down to kiss his brows and eyes, also kissing away the tears. Face to face, he finally spoke, "Go on, I’m listening."

Jian Ru was at a loss. With his hands pressed against Second Young Master’s shoulders and his knees bent tightly against the sheets, his face flushed crimson. He knew that if he didn’t clarify things now, who knew what might happen next? He hurriedly explained the key points: "Jiang Maocai is the one who used me as a substitute for Zhang Jiao and threw me into the river as a sacrifice."

Second Young Master’s expression instantly darkened, filled with a mix of rage and hatred, along with an intense jealousy that Jian Ru couldn’t comprehend. His eyes reddened, his face contorted, and he gritted his teeth, squeezing out the words, "He treated you like that, and you still are so devoted to him!"

Hearing this, Jian Ru was momentarily stunned. His usual eloquence failed him, and he felt a sudden softness in his heart and a sourness in his eyes. Struggling to relax his body, he said in an extremely gentle voice, "I’m not a fool or blind. I know when to turn back after hitting a wall. The moment he threw me into the river, all I felt for him was hatred."

But Second Young Master sneered, "Only hatred? Then why did he buy two types of mutually toxic medicinal ingredients from two different clinics?"

Jian Ru was taken aback. "How did you know?" he asked without thinking, purely on instinct. But with their faces so close, their breaths mingling, he could clearly see the sudden change in expression on the handsome face before him and the moisture welling up in those beautiful eyes.

A tear fell, landing below Jian Ru’s eye. It was scalding, burning his heart with pain. His mind buzzed, his eyes widened, and he suddenly understood what Second Young Master was thinking.

He had initially thought that Second Young Master had followed him when he trailed Jiang Maocai, thus learning about these matters.

But now, recalling the situation, he realized that Second Young Master had been occupied with a patient and hadn’t been able to follow him. The reason he knew what Jiang Maocai had bought at the other clinic was likely because he had seen the name on the package of medicinal ingredients and later investigated discreetly.

In other words, from Second Young Master’s perspective, it might have seemed as though Jian Ru had followed Jiang Maocai out, gone with him to another clinic, purchased the Sichuan aconite ingredients, and even bought some cough medicine to cover for Jiang Maocai.

Second Young Master thought... thought that he...!

Jian Ru was on the verge of tears. "Jin..."

He wanted to explain, but Second Young Master suddenly buried his face in the crook of Jian Ru’s neck. Jian Ru felt teeth sink into his skin, a sharp pain making him gasp. Almost immediately, Second Young Master moved again, with great force.

Jian Ru’s entire body tensed instantly, a mix of numbness and pain overwhelming him. He could barely speak, only managing to sob intermittently, "No... it’s not like that... that medicine... that medicine was prepared for a wealthy man named Zhang in the southern part of the city."

The man above him stilled. Second Young Master lifted his head to look at him, his expression softening slightly, as if something had brought him relief. "So, you two... planned to kill that man for his wealth, so you could take the money and run away together?" He thought to himself that Jian Ru must still have some attachment to him.

Jian Ru was going mad. He spilled everything quickly, like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube: "I didn’t go into that clinic with him, and I never planned to run away with him! I asked Feng Qing to help investigate Jiang Maocai. He claims publicly that Zhang Jiao is his younger brother and married Zhang Jiao into the wealthy Zhang family. He bought those two types of medicinal ingredients. That wealthy man has no children, and I suspect the two of them plan to poison Old Master Zhang to seize his family fortune. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid of dragging you into this and causing you trouble!"

Second Young Master lowered his gaze, pondered for a moment, then looked back at him. "Are you telling the truth?"

Jian Ru nodded vigorously. "It’s true! If you don’t believe me, you can ask Feng Qing yourself. The Li family has done him a favor—he wouldn’t lie to you for my sake!"

Second Young Master studied him for a while longer. "You never planned to run away with that man?"

Jian Ru was almost allergic to the phrase by now. "Absolutely not!"

Second Young Master watched him for a long time before finally uttering a soft "Hmm."

Seeing that he was still willing to believe him, Jian Ru relaxed considerably.

Second Young Master asked, "What were you planning to do?"

Jian Ru gritted his teeth. "In the next few days, that Jiang fellow will definitely hand the medicinal ingredients to Zhang Jiao for him to carry out the plan. I intend to report it to the authorities and have both of them thrown into prison!"

But Second Young Master shook his head. "That won’t work. We have no way of knowing the situation inside the Zhang residence. It’s hard to say when Zhang Jiao will make his move. Unless we catch him in the act, he can come up with plenty of excuses to evade blame."

Jian Ru said, "Then we can’t just wait for them to poison Old Master Zhang before reporting it, can we?"

Second Young Master glanced at him but remained silent. Just as Jian Ru grew puzzled, he finally spoke. "No, we can’t."

"Then what should we do?" Jian Ru asked, frustrated.

Second Young Master said, "This matter requires careful planning. We can start by warning that wealthy man."

Jian Ru suggested, "Should I ask Feng Qing to pass a message to Old Master Zhang?"

Second Young Master shook his head again. "I know Zhang Yufu. He’s not a fool. If we send Feng Qing to warn him, he’ll inevitably trace it back to us, causing future troubles. Let’s leave Feng Qing out of it. He won’t betray us, but we must ensure no one else learns of our involvement."

Jian Ru frowned, unsure what to do.

Second Young Master said, "Don’t worry. I’ll handle it properly. Zhang Yufu will be fine."

Jian Ru had always trusted Second Young Master. Hearing this, he felt reassured.

Once relaxed, he became aware of the discomfort in his body and felt a sense of grievance. Jian Ru whimpered softly, "My legs are sore..."

Second Young Master released his grip on Jian Ru’s ankles. Finally able to stretch his legs, Jian Ru blushed and said, "You should... pull out..."

Second Young Master didn’t move, only continued to watch him.

Meeting his gaze and recalling the earlier misunderstanding, Jian Ru bit his lip and muttered, "You thought I wanted to harm you with someone else, and you still want me?"

Second Young Master replied without hesitation, "Yes."

Jian Ru’s face flushed red. "If I ran away with someone else, how could you still want me?"

Second Young Master’s voice was low. "Without him, you’d be willing to stay."

Jian Ru didn’t catch it clearly. "What?"

Instead of answering, Second Young Master asked, "Can you still take it?"

Jian Ru understood what he meant. His eyelashes fluttered as he whispered, "Hmm."

Second Young Master leaned down to kiss him, his voice hoarse. "I’ll be quick."

Stuck in this unresolved state, Jian Ru was also uncomfortable. He wrapped his arms around the man’s neck and did his best to cooperate.

True to his word, Second Young Master finished quickly. But by the end, Jian Ru was still left weak and boneless, without an ounce of strength left. After being cleaned up, he curled under the blankets and fell into a deep sleep.

As for all those messy problems, they were long forgotten.

...

A few days later, in an elegant private room on the second floor of a teahouse in the southern part of the city, a group of wealthy individuals gathered for a banquet.

When people become wealthy, they often seek to adorn themselves with refined pursuits. The host had specially invited a qin player to perform on the guqin. The clear, resonant notes of the instrument, paired with the fragrance of tea filling the room, created an atmosphere of genuine elegance.

Zhang Yufu sat at the tea table, growing impatient. The zither music was making him drowsy, and he couldn't wait to excuse himself and go home to sleep.

Lately, he hadn’t been feeling quite right—low on energy, constantly feeling tired, dizzy, with a numb tongue. Even tea, which he used to enjoy, now seemed tasteless. His limbs felt stiff, and no matter how he sat, he couldn’t get comfortable.

But his eagerness to return home wasn’t just about resting.

Not long ago, he had remarried, bringing a delicate and pitiful young man into his household. Though the young man looked sickly, he knew how to please both in and out of bed, being uninhibited and attentive, making Zhang Yufu quite satisfied.

Having tasted such pleasures, Zhang Yufu found himself growing attached to the young man. Even now, sitting there, he couldn’t help but dwell on those intoxicating moments.

As he absentmindedly stroked his chin, the zither music finally came to an end, and the guests began applauding perfunctorily.

Zhang Yufu thought it was about time to take his leave and bid farewell to the host. Just then, servants filed into the room carrying trays, each holding various medicinal herbs.

Suddenly, the private room was filled with the bitter yet fragrant scent of the herbs.

The host stepped forward and said with a smile, "As you all know, I specially invited this zither master from the prefectural city. In addition to performing for everyone, he has also brought some renowned medicinal prescriptions from the city to share with you all."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yufu perked up immediately, and his desire to leave vanished.

The young zither master stood up and said cheerfully, "Since I've come from afar, I couldn’t possibly visit you esteemed gentlemen empty-handed. I’ve brought several popular tonic prescriptions from the prefectural city." He gestured toward one of the trays on the table in front of him. "This one contains dodder seeds, schisandra berries, foxnut seeds, and oysters. When taken with white liquor as a catalyst, it can strengthen the foundation and nourish the kidneys." He then pointed to another tray. "This one has prepared rehmannia root, angelica…"

Although the town had a sizable population, it couldn’t compare to the prosperity of the prefectural city. What was popular there was considered top-notch here.

The zither master’s voice was gentle, and his demeanor pleasant. As he explained each prescription, the guests began applauding sincerely, eagerly instructing their attendants to take notes.

After the zither master finished his introductions, the guests crowded around the trays, breaking off small pieces of the herbs to chew, as if absorbing their medicinal effects directly.

Zhang Yufu also approached with interest. After examining and tasting the herbs, he pointed curiously at a tray on the edge and asked, "What’s in this one? I didn’t hear you mention it earlier."

The zither master glanced at it and said, "Oh, this contains ephedra, peony root, aconite, and licorice. It’s used to treat joint pain caused by cold and dampness. Since the host mentioned that this prescription is quite common here, I didn’t elaborate."

Zhang Yufu nodded, pleased he hadn't come for nothing. Rubbing his hands together, he exclaimed, "These are all excellent remedies!"

The zither master smiled and said, "Even good things must be used correctly. While these herbs can nourish the body, improper use may do more harm than good."

His words immediately put Zhang Yufu on edge. "What do you mean, Master Xiao?" he asked.

The zither master explained, "Some herbs are beneficial on their own, but when combined, they may counteract or conflict with one another. Blindly mixing them could lead to dire consequences."

"What kind of consequences?" Zhang Yufu pressed.

The zither master pointed to the prescription Zhang Yufu had just asked about. "For instance, the aconite in this formula is highly effective for relieving pain. However, if someone takes it together with herbs like bletilla rhizome or ampelopsis, which are used to reduce swelling and promote tissue regeneration, these otherwise beneficial herbs can turn into poison. In mild cases, the person may experience numbness in the mouth, stiffness, tremors, weakness, dizziness, and headaches. In severe cases…"

The more Zhang Yufu listened, the more he realized the symptoms matched his own exactly. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead as his temples throbbed. "What happens in severe cases?" he asked anxiously.

The zither master looked at him, plucked a zither string forcefully, producing a startling "twang" that made Zhang Yufu’s heart skip a beat.

He continued, "If taken in large quantities, it can be fatal."

Zhang Yufu was horrified. His face darkened instantly, and without even bothering to bid farewell to the host, he gritted his teeth and hurried away, his expression grim.