Chapter 33: Someone Poisoned the Food

After seeing off Mr. Hong, Su Jing also took his leave. Pan Yueqing only exchanged a few words of greeting with Pan Haiyun. She showed the jade pendant to Pan Haiyun. Pan Haiyun held the jade pendant in his palm and examined it for a while. Pan Yueqing smiled. She had originally thought that if Pan Haiyun wanted the jade pendant, she would give it to him. But Pan Haiyun just took a look and then handed it back to Pan Yueqing, urging her to keep it carefully.

Pan Yueqing nodded with some satisfaction and directly said that she was really tired and wanted to go back to the Dongfeng Pavilion to rest, so she took her leave.

In the Dongfeng Pavilion, Pan Yueqing was by Gu Pan and Wan'er's side. She gently stroked Gu Pan's tightly bandaged eyes with great affection. "Silly girl, why did you rush in like that?"

"It just hit the skin around the eye. Even if it hit the eye and I went blind, as long as you're safe, it would be worth it," Gu Pan smiled and comforted Pan Yueqing. Wan'er also nodded, stepped forward and took Pan Yueqing's hand, with tears glistening in her eyes. "Miss, please don't leave us and take risks again. Don't worry, Miss. We hid the treasures in that cave very well, and no one found them."

Pan Yueqing was amused by Wan'er's appearance, with a black eye but her eyes still looking smart as they rolled around. "I think you're more suitable than Gu Pan to manage my jewelry and property! You're such a little money lover!"

The three of them joked for a while. Pan Yueqing took off the hair accessories on her head, stopped Gu Pan and Wan'er who were about to get out of bed to serve her, and sat in front of the dressing table by herself. She simply tied up her hair in a Suiyun Bun.

"Miss," Luo Shui, who had been assigned by Pan Yueqing to take care of the house these days, quietly brought a bowl of rose fermented glutinous rice. "I made it myself. It's not peaceful these days, so I didn't dare to get it from the kitchen."

Pan Yueqing nodded and rested her chin in her hand. Before she went to Cibei Temple, she had told Nanny Zhao and Nanny Zhou a lot of things. One of them was to slowly select some good girls to replace the people in the courtyard. Luo Shui was the niece of Nanny Zhou's own family, and Pan Yueqing trusted her. After taking a few sips, she rested her head on her hand and took a nap.

For some reason, a loud scolding sound came from outside the door, which woke Pan Yueqing up. She got up and turned her head to look outside the door from a distance. It was Nanny Mei who had finally finished the family wedding and was majestically scolding the little maids in the courtyard. Pan Yueqing thought to herself that it was really a coincidence today. She could just clean up this mess all at once!

"Don't think that just because the Miss has a good temper, you can be lazy!" Gu Pan raised her eyes and looked out through the window. Nanny Mei was grabbing a little maid's hair bun, dragging her for three steps, and scolding continuously. "I'm still the wet nurse of the Miss! Am I going to be bullied by a second-class maid like you?!"

"Luo Shui, go and find out what's going on," Pan Yueqing just took a glance and then lowered her gaze to the Book of Songs in her hand. Nanny Zhou and Nanny Zhao in the courtyard had been sent by Pan Yueqing to check her mother's former dowry shops and were not in the courtyard, which allowed Nanny Mei to show off her power. However, dealing with an old woman who betrayed her master for personal gain was not something she couldn't handle.

After a while, Nanny Mei's scolding voice died down. Luo Shui lifted the curtain and came in with a smile. "It's nothing serious. When the Miss was taking a nap just now, the Prime Minister's courtyard sent a bowl of plum blossom morning dew. Nanny Mei wanted to use it, but the little maid temporarily put it away and said, 'This was originally given to the Miss by the Prime Minister. Naturally, it should be given to the Miss when someone by the Miss's side asks for it.' That's what made Nanny Mei unhappy."

"Hehe, there may not be a 'king of hell' in this courtyard, but there are plenty of 'little devils'..." She paused for a moment, as if she heard some noise at the door. Then she raised her voice. "Is that Nanny Mei? Come in quickly." Pan Yueqing turned a page of the book and looked at Nanny Mei who was smiling at the door.

Nanny Mei was wearing a green dress embroidered with peach blossoms. The golden necklace on her chest was shining. She smiled at Pan Yueqing. "Miss, you look much better. We haven't seen each other for a long time."

"The countryside is beautiful with clear mountains and waters, which naturally nourishes people," Pan Yueqing smiled. Nanny Mei left not long after she was sent to the countryside. During this time, there had been quite a few happy events in Nanny Mei's family. Pan Yueqing tapped the embroidered stool in front of the beauty couch and invited her. "Nanny Mei, sit down quickly. People are in high spirits when they have happy events. Your eldest son became an official, your youngest son got married, and your eldest grandson turned one year old... So many happy things. It seems that you're so happy that you look much younger."

Nanny Mei was not polite and gracefully sat on the embroidered stool. She took the tea handed to her by Luo Shui. "I heard that Yingying was beaten to death for having an affair behind the Miss's back. In my opinion, that girl had a flirtatious look. The people around the Miss should be replaced. But when replacing them, we should choose people we can trust. The Miss is a bit too hasty in replacing the maids close to her."

"Plum blossom morning dew brewed with clear snow. The tea here at home is really more delicious," Pan Yueqing raised the tea cup in her hand, gently blew on the hot tea, and watched as a few tender tea leaves spun in the reddish-brown tea water.

Nanny Mei looked at the cold and aloof Pan Yueqing and felt a sudden unease in her heart. She pretended to drink the tea while holding the tea cup. Then, using the tea cup to cover her face, she carefully glanced at Pan Yueqing's expression. She forced a smile. "I brought some chickens and ducks from home and told the kitchen to stew them. They should be ready now. I'll go and bring them to the Miss."

Pan Yueqing raised her eyes and looked deeply at Nanny Mei. Nanny Mei felt a bit nervous under this gaze. Pan Yueqing suddenly smiled. "Okay. Thank you, Nanny. Only you would still think of me wherever you go."

Seeing Nanny Mei retreat, Pan Yueqing slapped the book on the table with a snap, and the smile on her face disappeared without a trace. Luo Shui stepped forward slightly and whispered to Pan Yueqing. "Miss, my aunt sent a message back yesterday and told me that what the Miss asked to be investigated has been found out and she will be back today." The implication was that the Miss could take action at any time.

"Miss, this is a chicken raised at home that only eats grass and grains," Nanny Mei brought a porcelain bowl and placed it in front of Pan Yueqing with a smile. "I heard that the Miss came back early in the morning and must have been busy praying for the elders' safety. There's still some time before dinner. The Miss can have a little something to fill her stomach."

Pan Yueqing nodded and raised her slender wrist to pick up the silver chopsticks.

As soon as the silver chopsticks were inserted into the chicken soup and just touched the chicken, the tip of the chopsticks turned black. Luo Shui was quick-eyed and quickly knocked the chopsticks out of Pan Yueqing's hand. "Miss! There's poison!"

Pan Yueqing stared at Nanny Mei with a cold face, and the smile on her lips turned sinister. "You're finally not pretending anymore?"

Nanny Mei met Pan Yueqing's gaze as cold as a snake's and couldn't help shivering. "What are you talking about, Miss? I don't know why there's poison in this chicken soup! I'm your wet nurse. How could I try to harm you?!"

"How could you try to harm me?" Pan Yueqing sneered. "Over the years, I've turned a blind eye to you stealing my things to subsidize your family and buying fields. But you've actually become so bold as to try to take my life!"