jdhmnovel Chapter 291 Poison Scheme
Chapter 291 Poison Scheme
Seeing Yu Wan's dazed expression, Yun Xi anxiously shook Yu Wan's hand, "Although brother only has you in his heart, what if that Miss Su uses some tricks..."
"Sister-in-law, you mustn't let your guard down!"
Yu Wan gently patted Yun Xi's hand and comforted her, "Yun Xi, don't worry too much."
"You know your brother's personality."
"Moreover, Miss Su may have only been temporarily seduced by your brother's... good looks."
Yun Shang was clearly a man, but he had a face that was attractive to both men and women, and she had been infatuated with him many times before.
Yu Wan coughed a few times guiltily.
Yunxi quickly patted her back with concern, "Why did you suddenly cough, sister-in-law? Did you catch a cold?"
"It's nothing, it's nothing," Yu Wan said seriously. "My throat just suddenly felt itchy."
Yunxi was relieved, then pouted and said, "Sister-in-law is just too kind. You can't see into someone's heart. Who knows what she's thinking?"
"If she dares to have any improper thoughts about my brother, I will definitely not let her get away with it!"
Yu Wan smiled helplessly.
Yunxi's personality is endearingly righteous and hates evil.
Now everyone is wholeheartedly protecting her.
She reached out and patted Yunxi's head. "Alright, don't think about these things for now."
“We can’t just convict someone based on guesses,” Yu Wan said with a smile. “Tomorrow, I’ll find an opportunity to talk to Miss Su alone and ask her indirectly. Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding.”
Yunxi frowned, looking doubtful. "Sister-in-law, do you really think it's just a misunderstanding? I don't believe it. The way she looked at me, she was definitely interested in my brother."
Yu Wan smiled and shook her head, "Alright, I know what I'm doing."
"By the way, haven't I been looking for a tutor for you lately? How's the search going?"
Upon hearing about the teachers, Yunxi deflated like a punctured balloon, muttering, "What else can they do? Those teachers are either incredibly rigid or just recite from the book. I get sleepy listening to them."
Yu Wan raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Aren't you a big fan of reading? You even have times when you feel sleepy?"
Yunxi, her face contorted in pain, clutched her head in her hands and lamented, "Sister-in-law, you have no idea!"
“The books that the Master taught were different from the ones I read myself.”
"I prefer reading legendary stories and chivalrous novels, but they insist on talking about 'Admonitions for Women' and 'Internal Instructions,' which are all outdated things that teach women the three obediences and four virtues. They are utterly boring."
Yu Wan couldn't help but laugh out loud, "So that's how it is, no wonder you weren't interested."
Yu Wan's eyes lit up as she thought of something, and she said mysteriously, "I have a good candidate for a tutor. Wait a few days and I'll send someone to invite him."
Yunxi's eyes widened instantly, filled with curiosity and anticipation. She grabbed Yu Wan's arm and shook it repeatedly: "Sister-in-law, tell me quickly, which teacher is it?"
Yu Wan laughed and slapped her hand away, "You can't tell now, or the surprise will be gone."
"Just wait patiently, and I believe this teacher will surely satisfy you."
Yunxi reluctantly let go, muttering, "Sister-in-law is just teasing me, but considering how hard she's trying, I'll just wait patiently."
……
Meanwhile, at the Dali Temple prison.
The dark and damp cell was filled with a stench of decay and blood.
Su Mu leaned weakly against the corner of the wall, his hands and feet locked in heavy shackles, which made a cold clanging sound.
His hair was disheveled and his clothes were dirty, but his eyes were resolute and bright.
The interrogation was abruptly halted halfway through; they must have come up with some other way to deal with him...
Lost in thought, I heard footsteps approaching from afar.
A prison guard slowly approached the cell, carrying a bowl of thin porridge and a plate of pickled vegetables.
His eyes flickered, revealing an unusual tension, as he passed the porridge through the small hole in the cell door, deliberately keeping his voice steady: "Lord Su, it's time to eat."
Su Mu slowly raised her head.
His face was haggard, his eyes were bloodshot, and his once neat official robes were now tattered and covered in dirt.
He glanced at the bowl of porridge only once before lowering his head again.
The jailer placed the porridge and pickled vegetables by the door, and seeing that Su Mu showed no intention of eating, a hint of anxiety flashed in his eyes.
He forced a smile and said with concern, "Lord Su, it's not that we've been neglecting you, but this is all the food we have in the Ministry of Justice prison. This porridge is still warm, why don't you eat it while it's hot?"
Although the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review each had their own responsibilities, the two departments maintained close ties.
The jailer, Sun Yang, was an acquaintance of Su Mu. Previously, when Sun Yang's mother was seriously ill, Su Mu gave him twenty taels of silver for emergency use, so Su Mu considered Sun Yang a benefactor.
After being taken to the Ministry of Justice prison, Sun Yang did his best to take care of Su Mu.
Su Mu didn't want to disappoint his kindness, so even though she had no appetite, she stood up, walked to the cell door, and picked up the porridge.
"Thank you for taking care of me these past two days." Su Mu's voice was hoarse and weary.
Su Mu gently blew on the steaming porridge, just about to take a sip, when she suddenly noticed that Sun Yang's hand was trembling slightly.
He felt a chill run down his spine and looked up at Sun Yang, only to see that the other man's eyes were darting away, and he dared not meet his gaze.
Su Mu paused, her hand holding the bowl of porridge still.
Sun Yang did not notice anything unusual about him.
He just stared intently at the bowl of porridge, his pupils trembling slightly with tension, his hands clenching unconsciously until his knuckles turned white from the force.
Su Mu remained calm and slowly brought the bowl of porridge to her lips.
Just then, as if he had suddenly made a great decision, Sun Yang reached out and knocked the bowl of porridge out of Su Mu's hand.
With a "smack," the white porridge spilled all over the floor. The bowl rolled a few times on the ground, making a crisp sound that was particularly jarring in the silent cell.
Sun Yang's face turned deathly pale instantly. He knelt down with a thud, gripping the railing, his voice trembling with sobs: "Lord Su, you can't drink... I... I'm so sorry!"
Su Mu already understood a bit of what was going on. He glanced at the broken bowl of porridge and asked coldly, "Tell me, who ordered you to do this?"
Sun Yang trembled violently. After hesitating for a moment, struggling between fear and conscience, he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Lord Su, it was...it was the jailer. He threatened me with my mother's life and made me...make me poison this porridge."
Sun Yang's face was contorted with grief, his voice filled with deep fear and regret:
"Lord Su, you are my benefactor. If I were to truly harm you, I would be worse than an animal... I... I really had no other choice!"
"Lord Su, you must be careful. They will definitely try to harm you again." Sun Yang raised his head, his eyes filled with worry and guilt.
Su Mu looked at Sun Yang kneeling on the ground, feeling a mix of emotions.
He sighed softly, his expression softening slightly: "Get up first, I don't blame you."
Su Mu lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, and then said to him in a low voice, "I would like to ask you to do something for me."
.........
Shortly after, Sun Yang left the cell carrying an empty bowl.
When the jailer saw him return, he glanced at the empty bowl and asked, "Did you drink it all?"
Sun Yang felt a surge of nervousness, but he forced himself to remain calm and nodded, his voice trembling slightly: "I saw Lord Su drink it with my own eyes."
The jailer patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction. "Well done. Wait another quarter of an hour and we'll go collect Lord Su's body."