My stepsister tried to steal the prince's hand in marriage, but little did she know I had been

Chapter 299

Outside the prison, the sun shone brightly.

The weather has cleared up these past few days, and everyone says it's because the emperor has cleaned up the court that the weather has cleared up.

Lin Mama carried a food box in her hand. She looked at the warm sunlight overhead, but her heart was heavy. With a pale face, she stepped into the prison.

Today marks the seventh day since Lady Wen was diagnosed with COVID-19.

On the seventh day, the poison will give the person a brief moment of lucidity, as if nothing had happened before. At the last moment, the poisoned person's life force will rapidly decline, and they will die. Even a divine physician like Dr. Zhou will be unable to determine the cause of death.

She was granted permission to come and deliver food to Madam Wen on her way home.

She carried the food box and strode into the prison. As soon as she entered, a biting chill swept over her from all directions, and she shivered involuntarily before continuing forward.

She went all the way to the deepest part of the prison and saw Madam Wen.

Six days is enough to change a person.

Madam Wen's hair was disheveled, her face was extremely thin, the bones in her cheeks almost popped out, and her eyes were numb and lifeless.

"Miss!" Seeing Madam Wen in this state, Lin Mama's eyes filled with tears, and she called out the name she used when she was still a young lady.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wen finally reacted. She lifted her heavy eyelids, glanced at Granny Lin, and her eyes flickered before she regained some of her senses.

"You've arrived." Madam Wen forced a smile. "How is Tong'er?"

Lin Mama held back her tears and said in a low voice, "Miss is doing quite well in the Chen family. The Chen mother and son don't dare to make a fuss and let Miss do whatever she wants."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wen breathed a sigh of relief.

This is the seventh day since she was poisoned. Although the itching and pain of the previous six days have been gone, the torment she suffered in the previous six days has still greatly depleted her energy.

When she heard Lin Mama mention Wen Yitong's recent situation, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

That's fine.

She wanted to speak, but she didn't have the strength to open her mouth.

Seeing this, Granny Lin burst into tears: "You've suffered so much."

As she spoke, she glared hatefully at the Duke of Wen across from her.

Lin Mama was shocked when she saw the current state of Duke Wen.

If Lady Wen was clearly tormented by Yixianhong, then the current appearance of Duke Wen... was as if he were tormented by a poison hundreds of times more potent than Yixianhong. Duke Wen no longer looked like a human being.

Duke Wen leaned against the corner of the wall, his bones clearly visible—all from scratching himself.

However, Granny Lin didn't have much energy to pay attention to Duke Wen, so she quickly placed the food box outside the cell.

"Miss, please eat something." Lin Mama choked up as she spoke, "You need to eat your fill... so you can continue your journey."

Both she and Madam Wen were well aware that today would be the last time they met.

Madam Wen was also sobbing uncontrollably. How could anyone not be afraid of death? Of course she was afraid too, but a mother's love makes her strong, and she wanted her daughter to live.

She would be willing to die for Wen Yitong.

Therefore, Mrs. Wen had no choice but to muster her courage and make this sacrifice.

Madam Wen paid no attention to the food that Granny Lin brought; all she could think about was Wen Yitong.

Lin Mama said some nice things, but Madam Wen knew that Lin Mama was just trying to comfort her.

Wen Yitong is likely facing numerous dangers in the Chen family.

Thinking of this, Madam Wen was filled with regret. If she had known this day would come, she would have taught Wen Yitong a proper lesson and not let her grow up to be so spoiled.

If that were the case, she wouldn't be as worried as she is now.

Mrs. Wen was filled with regret, but there is no medicine for regret in this world.

Therefore, she could only watch helplessly as Wen Yitong suffered in the Chen family.

"Granny, I'm afraid I can't do these things anymore."

"From now on, Tong'er will be in your care."

As Madam Wen spoke, tears streamed down her face. She had little strength left, but she used all her remaining strength to try and make Lin Mama understand what she was saying.

Lin Mama also shed tears. She held Madam Wen's hand tightly and nodded vigorously: "Don't worry, I will definitely save the young lady's life. At least... at least so that you will have someone to pay respects to you at your grave in the future."

Madam Wen nodded: "Granny, I'll give you the rest of my private savings. You know where it is."

"I only ask... I only ask that you treat Tong'er the way you treat me. She was spoiled by me, which is why she is the way she is now."

Upon hearing Madam Wen's words, Granny Lin quickly nodded: "Don't worry, this old servant will definitely take good care of the young lady."

Upon receiving Lin Mama's reply, Madam Wen seemed to have released her last bit of strength. She sat on the ground, her eyes filled with relief.

"Enough... enough," she said softly. "I have committed many evils in my life, and now this is my retribution. I am angry only for not teaching Tong'er well, causing her to be implicated by me."

"Granny, after I die, you don't need to worry about avenging me," Madam Wen said in a low voice. "Wen Shuyao is now the Princess Consort of Jing. Even if my sister were still alive, she wouldn't be able to deal with her."

"Granny, you only need to take good care of yourself and Tong'er." Madam Wen stretched out her scarred hand, which was scratched by herself from the torment she had suffered at the hands of Yixianhong these past few days. "I ask for nothing else."

After saying this, Madam Wen shut her mouth.

Lin Mama looked at her with tears in her eyes, finally suppressing all the reluctance in her heart, and nodded vigorously.

Watching Granny Lin leave, Madam Wen sat down on the ground, feeling utterly helpless.

A hint of unease flickered in Madam Wen's eyes. She clutched her chest, feeling a sense of unease.

As Lin Mama left the prison and looked at the azure sky above her, her unease grew stronger.

Once inside the carriage, Granny Lin immediately said, "To Jinzhu Lane."

Upon hearing this, the coachman showed little emotion. Lin Mama went to Jinzhu Lane every day. Jinzhu Lane was the market town where the Chen family lived. Lin Mama went to Jinzhu Lane every day for Wen Yitong's sake.

The coachman skillfully drove the carriage into Jinzhu Lane, but the Chen family's gate was tightly closed, and there was no sign of anyone being there.

Seeing this, Granny Lin's expression became even more serious. She pretended to be kind and asked the people nearby about the whereabouts of the Chen family.

The Chen family's neighbors were very open and honest, saying, "I heard they went to the countryside to take refuge. The young lady they married before wasn't a good person. I heard she got into trouble with the law and had to go back to the countryside to avoid disaster."

Upon hearing this, Granny Lin sensed something was amiss. After listening to her neighbor's words, she boarded the carriage and said solemnly, "To the outskirts of the capital! To the Chen family's villa!"

She always felt that the Chen family had ulterior motives for doing this.