Chapter 11: The Depth of the Trap

  Peony glanced at her, "What's the matter? Are you overthinking or should I go take care of Chun Tao instead? Today is also the day she lifts her ban, and we need to give her more wound medicine. Such a beautiful person can't have scars on her face in the future."

  Shanhu smiled coldly and backed away.

  Watching her quick and carefree steps, Peony's mouth corner revealed a hint of disdainful smile.

  Coral Three Steps rushed to Dacheng Garden in two strides, and first reported the situation of Jingting Garden to Mother Zhou. Mother Zhou entered the inner room to report, and Gu Shi was eating snake soup with Hua Ruomeng. Upon hearing this, Hua Ruomeng stopped drinking her porridge, threw down her spoon, and said excitedly: "What wind chill, it's clearly poisoning, that stupid Peony is still waiting for her to come out on her own, isn't she a fool?"

  "Anyway, people can't die yet. Go take a look at Mrs. Zhou. If she's half-dead, call the doctor to treat her. But don't rush it either. Let her understand that some things aren't hers for the taking."

  "I'm going too." Hua Ruomeng stood up immediately, casually breaking off a branch of jasmine from the Qingci Dajing flower vase with a "crack" sound, then picked up the flower and ruthlessly crushed it into a pulp. "I'll make her face bloom as beautifully as this flower."

  Gu's family didn't seem to hear, just waved his hand, and Zhou Mama naturally understood what it meant, but also didn't expose it, and let the person lead the way to Jingting Garden.

  When they arrived at Jingting Garden, it was still quiet inside, except for Qin'er wiping the window, not even a rough servant girl was seen.

  "Qin'er, where is Seventh Miss?"

  Zhou Mama suddenly spoke out, startling Qin Er who was lost in thought.

  She turned around and saw that it was Mrs. Zhou and Eighth Miss leading a group of people, and hurriedly bowed her head to say: "Miss said she's feeling weak and wants to rest more..."

  "Mother Zhou's face sank, 'A young lady from a good family, even if she has a weak body, shouldn't be sleeping at this hour. How are you servants serving her? Shouldn't you have woken her up to eat something and invite the doctor? Are you taking advantage of there being no master here to slack off and do as you please?'"

  Qin'er hastily lowered her head, "I don't dare, it was Miss who instructed me so."

  "How outrageous! Seventh Miss is being willful and arbitrary, must you all follow along like this? If something were to happen to her inside, shouldn't you be held responsible?"

  Qin'er didn't dare to make another sound, Hua Ruoyan was eager to see the withered and dying appearance of Hua Zhiyu, but at the same time, she didn't want Qin'er to discover her plan, so she took her wet nurse Hu Mama and Xiao Cui directly to push open the door of the inner room.

  However, after the door opened, she did not see the tragic situation she had imagined. Instead, the sunlight was like gold, sparsely falling in front of the window. A woman with a book in her hand was leaning against the couch, deeply engrossed in reading. On the green tree in front of the window, there were faint purple wisteria flowers entwined, and the fragrance wafted gently, creating a serene atmosphere.

  She was stunned, how could this be?

  What happened to the poisonous dark energy that was supposed to spread like a thread?

  The flower heard the sound of rain and lifted her head with a smile, "Oh, it's Eighth Sister who has come. Is there anything I can help you with?"

  Huā Ruò Mèng felt her throat was a bit dry and asked suspiciously: "Are you okay?"

  Putting down the book and leaning her head to one side, "What can I possibly have on hand?"

  Hua Ruo Meng's heart was filled with resentment, and she was just about to scold Xanadu for sending a false message. Suddenly, she heard a hissing sound above her head, and when she looked up, she saw two green snakes hanging from the beam, their bodies swaying back and forth.

  "Be careful!" It was too late to say that it was fast, and Hu Mama on the side saw the danger and pushed Hua Ruomeng who was already stunned. The two snakes were shocked by this, and their bodies suddenly arched up, turning into two black shadows that shot onto Hua Ruomeng's arm and Hu Mama's leg with a "whoosh".

  The flower-like dream only felt the icy cool and slippery touch was nauseating and chilling, "Ah, snake..."

  She frantically waved her arms and loudly wailed, causing the snake to wrap itself tighter around her. Then, hearing the commotion, Zhou Mama and the other servant women rushed in, shocked and anxious, and hastily ordered someone to go outside and call two household guards. The two guards mustered up their courage and managed to pry the two snakes loose from Hua Ruoyan and Hu Mama, then slammed them to death on the ground.

  In the chaos, Hua Ruoyan had already fainted from fright. Zhou Mama didn't bother to ask about the snake's origin or remember their original intention, and instead hurriedly ordered someone to carry her back and urgently summoned a doctor who specialized in treating snake venom.

  A crowd of people came and went like the wind, and the house was quiet again in an instant. Hua walked up to Yuexiu, who still sat motionless, and said in a low voice: "Eighth Miss was bitten by a snake here, Madam will definitely not let it go easily, what should we do next?"

  "Hua Zhe Yu was quietly flipping through the pages of a book, 'I just want to make sure they can't let it go easily. Otherwise, I wouldn't have set the scene of the incident in my own house either. Don't worry, the bigger this thing gets, the more beneficial it is for me. Just sit down and watch the changes.'"

  Peony was uncertain, and could only nod slightly. At this time, Qiner walked in with three house deeds in her hand, "Miss, my cousin just came back to report that it's indeed as you expected. The three house deeds bestowed by the Empress Dowager are located on Xinyang Street, the most prosperous area of the capital city, including the Wanyuan Rice Shop and its branches on Xiaozhong Street and Pengchang Street. They are all well-known places. If Miss wants to withdraw money from these deeds, it's a matter of course and there shouldn't be any problem."

  Peony Medicine was overjoyed, "Is this matter really true?"

  Qin'er nodded heavily, "Yesterday morning my cousin asked the person in charge of purchasing on my behalf, and the answer was affirmative. To be sure, he even ran to these few shops to take a look, the signboards were big, there were many employees, and everything looked prosperous and authentic."

  Peony took over the house deed and respectfully handed it to Hua Zhe Yu, "Miss, from now on you don't have to worry about money matters. If we can withdraw some silver from the rice shop, I believe we can buy that medicine shop, and in the future, Mr. Feng's family won't need to trouble Miss again."

  Hua Zhe Yu put away the house deed with a thoughtful expression. Qiner saw her serious face and anxiously asked, "What's wrong? Is something not right?"

  "Hua Zhe Yu sank into thought for a moment, 'If it's such a good store, my mother wouldn't have handed it over to me so easily. I'm suspicious, what trick is she playing again?'"

  Qin'er was somewhat skeptical, "Everything is in Miss's hands, what kind of trick can she play?"

  The flower was in the rain for a moment, and just as she was thinking, her long-following servant outside called out: "Seventh Miss, Master has something to call you to Da Cheng Garden."

  With a smile on her lips and a slight curve at the corner of her mouth, she stood up and said: "Tell Father that I'll be right there."

  Changgui left at the sound, and Peony worried: "It seems that things have already been stirred up to Master's place, will it really be okay?"

  "The boat will naturally go straight to the bridgehead, there's nothing to be afraid of, just follow up."

  She spoke with such certainty that Peony had no choice but to grit her teeth and follow her out with an umbrella.

  The atmosphere in Dasheng Garden is solemn.

  Hua Bu Xi's face sank even further as he listened to the imperial physician's words, who had just treated the snake wound of Hua Ruomu.