CHAPTER 280: CHAPTER 280: SITUATION (PART 1)

The strange thing is, going to Tongzhou to pick up someone takes two days round trip, and even the fastest would arrive no earlier than the evening hour, so how come they’ve already arrived at this time?

Manager Lai seemed to understand the First Master’s confusion. He slightly nodded at him, and the First Master suppressed his doubts and asked the woman, "May I know how to address Madam?"

The woman frowned and said, "My husband’s surname is Zhang, you may call me Madam Zhang." After saying this, she glanced around the room and said, "Where is the patient?" The First Master gestured, and Madam Zhang stepped into the room. Xiqiu was leaning against a large pillow, and Madam Zhang’s eyes rested on Xiqiu’s face for a moment before sitting on the stool next to the bed. She placed the pulse pillow aside and began to take Xiqiu’s pulse. The First Master and Madam Xia stood aside, and after a short moment, Madam Zhang’s expression changed, looking very bad: "Lord Tong, this young lady is not ill; she has been poisoned." She looked down at the wound on Xiqiu’s neck and confidently said to the First Master, "The poison entered through this wound."

The First Master was utterly shocked. The attacker not only struck viciously but also coated the blade with poison—a truly ruthless method. Madam Xia anxiously asked, "Madam, is there a cure?"

Not only were the First Master and Madam Xia shocked, but Xiqiu was also secretly astonished. She was fully aware of her own poisoning. She had instructed Chunliu to buy ginkgo nuts and dissolve them in alcohol for daily consumption, and applied a large amount of white alum mixed with white aconite on the wound. Although the wound didn’t heal, it didn’t fester either. Her symptoms when taking the pulse were quite similar to tetanus, which she discovered through personal experiments and research while studying!

Generally, a doctor who was unaware of the situation couldn’t diagnose it immediately, like Doctor Hu; even if he suspected, he couldn’t be certain!

Xiqiu scrutinized Madam Zhang. She was not tall and her skin was somewhat rough, as if she often traveled outdoors. Her demeanor was that of a noble lady, with an air of elegance like a fragrant orchid. Xiqiu was certain she did not know her, but why would she say such things?

Xiqiu was secretly puzzled, but Madam Zhang didn’t spare her a glance. She turned around, walked to the table with an air of composure, took out two small bottles from the medicine box she’d brought: "This is for external application." She pointed to another bottle: "This is for internal use, the poison will be expelled in three days."

The bottles... entirely black, Xiqiu was stunned at the sight.

Fourth Master Xiao!

Xiqiu’s hand under the blanket clenched tightly into a fist...

Mr. Zhang was about to hand the medicine to Madam Xia, gave an additional instruction, then picked up the medicine box and headed out. Reaching the door, she suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Xiqiu with meaningful eyes, then turned away without looking back and left. Manager Lai followed her closely to see her off.

The First Master glanced at Madam Xia, his gaze lingered on Xiqiu’s face before he suddenly stood up, swayed his robe and left without saying a word!

In the main courtyard, he stood at the entrance of Zhui Garden, instructing Manager Lai, "Send someone to Shandong to invite Lord Xu." Manager Lai was startled, but the First Master entered the Ruyi Gate of Zhui Garden without looking back.

The First Lady was sitting in the Warm Pavilion, the floor covered in broken porcelain, and the treasure cabinet in the corner had toppled over. When she saw the First Master entering, she sprung from the couch: "Tong Zheng’an, how dare you come to my room, get out!"

Nanny Fang stood nervously at the door, continuously giving the First Lady meaningful glances, but the First Lady ignored her and stepped over the shards, pointing at the First Master: "I’ll tell you, if you don’t make yourself clear today, we’ll go to Yingtian. Father isn’t here, we’ll ask my elder brother to judge. How have I wronged you, that you treat me this way?"

The First Master waited for her to finish, looked back at Nanny Fang with a stern face, and said: "Everyone, leave!" Nanny Fang was startled, then led Daihe and the others out quietly, shutting the door behind them.

The First Master stood with his hands behind his back at the door, no longer angry but calm as he asked the First Lady, "Was the injury Sixth Girl sustained at the temple related to you?"

The First Lady’s face changed. The First Master pressed closer, asking, "Did you and the concubine hire assassins to attack at the temple?" The First Lady was full of shock, and the First Master shouted, "Speak quickly!"

"Master... what are you talking about, I don’t understand!" Moments ago, she was still arrogant, but now, faced with the First Master, she couldn’t help but shrink back. Even without asking, the First Master was certain, nodding toward the First Lady with a face full of sarcasm, "Good, good! You’re... very good!"

The First Lady finally reacted, defending herself: "...Sixth Girl only suffered a little injury, the temple fire was an accident, how can you talk of assassins!"

The First Master looked back at the First Lady and said word by word, "Sixth Girl... was poisoned, the poison seeped in through her wound, you tell me... what kind of accidental injury would result in her being poisoned, tell me?" The First Lady stepped back repeatedly, yet still refused to admit, "Ridiculous, even if there were assassins, what evidence do you have, Master, to say that Feilu and I hired assassins to kill Sixth Girl?"

"Evidence or not? Fine, I’ll make sure you yield, I’ll have people investigate now... if I find that this matter is related to you..." He pointed at the First Lady, "Zhang Feifeng, the Tong Family will not tolerate you!"

After Xiqiu took Madam Zhang’s antidote, she "recovered" two days later.

Tong Minzhi looked at her with a bright smile, his dimples on his cheeks lively and adorable. He sat by Xiqiu’s bed, his eyes wide open as he recounted his journey in detail, then tugged at her and said, "Sister, Jiangnan is truly beautiful... the sky meets the water, and the water stretches far to meet the sky. The sky is clear, and the water is cold with the moon’s reflection, the sheen of water and moonlight blend together..." After finishing, he swayed his head with a look of total enchantment.

Xiqiu slightly covered her sleeves and smiled softly. Tong Minzhi suddenly drooped his head: "I wish Sister could go with me!" After speaking, he feared Xiqiu might feel truly disappointed, so he blinked and smiled, "When I grow up, I’ll accompany Sister there, we’ll travel all over Jiangnan and see all the beautiful sceneries."

"Alright." Xiqiu nodded: "Then grow up quickly, Sister will wait for you!" As often said, reading a volume of books is not as good as traveling a thousand miles; compared to before, Tong Minzhi’s demeanor and speech were much more stable.

Chunyan listened on the side, eyes full of envy, smiling, "Seventh Young Master, hearing you say this, I’m filled with longing... Is Jiangnan really that wonderful?" Could it be that the First Master has yet to return to the capital because he’s enamored with the exquisite Jiangnan?

"Of course!" Tong Minzhi nodded, "Standing at the bow of the boat with the concubine, the gentle breeze blowing... beneath are the rippling green waves, fish swimming joyfully through the water, and on both banks are overlapping mountains, trees with green birds singing, mischievous monkeys hanging upside down from the tree branches, tossing little stones onto the cargo ships, getting scared away when scolded, only to return shortly, chattering away as if... almost like arguing with you, making faces, such scenery and fun, how incredibly interesting."