jdhmnovel Chapter 1360 Mission
Chapter 1360 Mission
Lin Yiwan slowly sat down, her fingertips lightly tracing the patterns on the scroll. The doubts in her heart gradually dissipated, piecing together a startling truth.
After entering the capital, Rong Zhiyu proceeded cautiously, first winning Zhan Mu's pity, then using the debt of saving her life to coerce him, attempting to become his wife. This was hardly the tactic of a down-on-her-luck heiress seeking survival; she clearly came with a mission and had grand ambitions.
Wei Kun, an inner palace eunuch, had been secretly providing her with information and assistance for many years. Now that his identity had been exposed, he did not hesitate to commit suicide by poison. Such decisiveness shows how noble Rong Zhiyu's status was and how shocking their scheme was.
“Rong Zhiyu…” Lin Yiwan murmured the name, a cold smile curving her lips. “What a hidden talent. You think you can use Mu’er to step into the Zhanhou Mansion and use this place as a springboard for you? I’m afraid it won’t be that easy.”
She stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the deepening twilight outside, her eyes growing darker. Since Wei Kun was dead and there was no way to corroborate her story, she could only force Rong Zhiyu to reveal her own innocence.
To catch fish, you must first prepare bait. And she is the most tempting bait.
The following day, news spread from the Marquis's residence that Lady Lin Yiwan had caught a cold and was bedridden, throwing the entire household into chaos.
When the news reached Rong Zhiyu's ears, she was painting in the courtyard. Upon hearing it, her fingertips trembled violently, and the painting was stained. Her hands were covered in stains, but she didn't care at all.
Lin Yi-wan has always been in good health, so why did she suddenly fall ill? She was perfectly fine yesterday!
She hesitated for a moment, then immediately summoned her personal maid: "Prepare a gift; I'm going to the Marquis's residence to visit the Madam."
The maid hesitated, "Miss, you just went to apologize the day before yesterday, and Madam's attitude towards you wasn't exactly warm. If you go to visit her now, you might be mistreated!"
“That’s precisely why I must go.” Rong Zhiyu’s eyes were sharp. “Lin Yiwan is the mistress of the Zhanhou Mansion. Her attitude directly affects whether I can enter the mansion smoothly. Her illness is the best opportunity, and I must go and see her.”
Half an hour later, Rong Zhiyu, carrying carefully prepared tonics, stepped into the gate of the Marquis of Zhan's residence.
The nanny who led the way brought her to the outside of Lin Yiwan's bedroom and whispered, "Madam is seriously ill. She just took her medicine and fell asleep. If you don't mind, young lady, you may wait in the side hall for a while."
Rong Zhiyu nodded, but her gaze subtly swept towards the bedroom, a hint of inquiry flashing in her eyes. She followed the nanny into the side hall, and had barely sat down when she heard a suppressed cough coming from the bedroom, followed by Ling'er's panicked cry: "Madam! Madam, what's wrong?"
Rong Zhiyu's heart tightened, and he immediately stood up: "I'll go take a look!"
She rushed into the bedroom and saw Lin Yiwan leaning against the headboard, her face pale and a trace of black blood at the corner of her mouth. She was coughing violently, and there was a bowl of medicine that had been overturned beside her, with black medicine residue remaining.
"Madam!" Rong Zhiyu exclaimed in surprise and rushed forward.
Lin Yiwan slowly raised her eyes. When she saw her, a flicker of panic crossed her eyes, quickly replaced by pain. She gripped Rong Zhiyu's wrist tightly, her voice as weak as a candle in the wind: "Miss Rong... I know... it's you..."
Rong Zhiyu's heart sank suddenly, her fingertips turned icy cold. She forced herself to remain calm and said in a low voice, "Madam, what did you say? I don't understand."
"Stop pretending." Lin Yiwan coughed even more violently, black blood trickling down the corner of her mouth. "Wei Kun is dead... Before he died... he revealed your identity... Li Guo..."
"Madam!" Rong Zhiyu interrupted her sharply, her gaze suddenly turning fierce as she stared intently into Lin Yiwan's eyes. "You can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want! I am a citizen of the Sheng Dynasty, what right do I have to claim to be from the Li Kingdom?"
Her voice trembled slightly, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on Lin Yiwan's wrist.
Just then, the bedroom door creaked open, and Zhan Mu strode in. Upon seeing the scene before him, his expression changed drastically: "Mother! Zhiyu! What are you doing?"
Rong Zhiyu froze, snapping back to his senses. He quickly released her hand, took a step back, and his face instantly filled with a wronged expression, his eyes reddening: "Brother Mu, I... I came to visit Madam, but who knew she would suddenly talk nonsense, and... and hold onto my hand so tightly..."
Lin Yiwan watched her expression change instantly, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes. She coughed up a mouthful of black blood, her body went limp, and she fainted.
"Mother!" Zhan Mu exclaimed in shock, rushing forward to hug Lin Yiwan. He then turned to glare at Rong Zhiyu, demanding, "Zhiyu, what have you done to your mother?"
"I didn't!" Rong Zhiyu shook his head repeatedly, tears streaming down his face. "Brother Mu, believe me, I really didn't!"
Outside the bedroom, the butler and maids, who had heard the commotion, rushed in. Seeing the chaotic scene, they were all shocked.
Rong Zhiyu looked at the crowd that had gathered around her, and at the suspicion in Zhan Mu's eyes, and felt a chill run through her heart.
She knew she had fallen into a trap.
Lin Yiwan was not poisoned at all; the black blood at the corner of her mouth was merely a decoy. She used herself as bait to force herself to reveal a weakness in a moment of panic.
But she couldn't hold back in the end and almost exposed her identity.
Rong Zhiyu closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, the panic in her eyes had completely disappeared, leaving only a cold calm.
She slowly straightened up, raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her cheeks, and said in a clear but aggrieved voice, "Brother Mu, we have known each other for so long, don't you know what kind of person I am? I respect your mother as my own mother, how could I do such a rebellious thing?"
After saying that, she glanced at everyone present, finally landing on Lin Yiwan's pale face, and her tone suddenly became more serious: "Wasn't Auntie already sick? Why is it that her sudden vomiting of blood is being blamed on me?"
Zhan Mu paused slightly in his arms holding Lin Yiwan, the anger in his eyes lessening a bit, but he still asked in a deep voice, "Then why were you the only one in Mother's room just now? And why did you look so flustered when Mother vomited blood?"
Rong Zhiyu's voice choked with sobs, as if he had suffered a great injustice. "I didn't understand what Auntie was talking about. She said Wei Kun was dead and mentioned Liguo. I... I don't know him at all! Brother Mu, how could you suspect me?"
She pressed closer, her gaze fixed on Zhan Mu, her tone slightly seductive: "Since we met, my feelings for you are as clear as day. I would even give up my own life for you. If I were to harm your mother, wouldn't that be severing my own hopes? Brother Mu, you must believe me."
Lin Yiwan leaned against Zhan Mu's chest, listening to Rong Zhiyu's silver tongue, a barely perceptible cold smile curling at the corner of her lips.
She slowly raised her hand, her fingertips gently wiping away the black blood from the corner of her lips, rubbing the dark red ointment between her fingertips, her voice weak but clear: "Zhiyu, your mouth is sweeter than honey."