No… it can’t be…
Yan Ruoxi clenched the corner of her clothes. The poison she had added was almost identical to one of the wound medicine’s ingredients, so it would not be detected. Besides, even if it were discovered, no one would know she was the one who had poisoned it.
Yan Ruoxi’s heart pounded, nearly bursting from her throat. She lifted her face and said, "Brother Chu, isn’t this the wound medicine?"
Chu Yunli looked at her with indifference. "You know very well what this is."
Yan Ruoxi’s body trembled; instinctively she stepped back half a pace, her hands quivering faintly.
"Brother Chu, what are you saying? I don’t understand…"
"Yan Ruoxi." Chu Yunli’s voice carried no emotion. Once it had been indifferent and distant; now it was cold, laced with a hint of anger—she had nearly harmed A Ning.
"Do you want me to keep talking, or shall I have Divine Physician Ye come and check it?"
Yan Ruoxi’s whole heart trembled, and cold sweat streamed uncontrollably down her back.
She said tremblingly, "Brother Chu, you’ve misunderstood—it wasn’t me… How could I possibly do such a thing? You know I am Divine Physician Ye’s disciple; how could I ever resort to poisoning?"
Chu Yunli’s face was cold. "I never said it was poisoning."
Yan Ruoxi’s face turned deathly pale, drained of blood. Her legs weakened, and she nearly fell to the floor.
This was her confessing without being forced.
The matter can no longer be hidden; Brother Chu already knows it all.
Yan Ruoxi lifted her face, tears misting and the corners of her eyes reddened, looking pitiful. "It was I who poisoned, but I never intended to harm you—it wasn’t a deadly poison."
"I just…"
She only wanted Jiang Ning to take the blame, that’s all.
That way, Brother Chu would no longer trust that woman.
"Brother Chu, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have done this… I was foolish for a moment." Yan Ruoxi walked forward, trying to grasp Chu Yunli’s sleeve, pleading for his forgiveness.
Tears slid down, and she cried pitifully.
"Brother Chu, you know my feelings. Ever since the day you saved me, my heart has been filled only with you… but now you have that woman, Jiang Ning, by your side."
"Why?! What’s so good about her? My medical skills are stronger than hers, and I am the daughter of the prime minister…"
Yan Ruoxi felt wronged. She didn’t know where she had lost, or why Brother Chu was unwilling to look at her even once.
Chu Yunli raised his hand and coldly flung Yan Ruoxi’s hand aside, unwilling to let her touch him.
Yan Ruoxi was wounded, her face pale, tears sliding down. "Brother Chu…"
Chu Yunli said coldly, "She is better than you in every aspect."
Yan Ruoxi was hit by a tremendous shock, standing dazed where she was.
"Yuan Feng, escort Miss Yan out." Chu Yunli turned his back, speaking coldly.
Outside the door, Yuan Feng heard the commotion and came in, asking Yan Ruoxi to leave. "Miss Yan."
Yan Ruoxi shook her head, refusing to yield. She didn’t want to be driven out like this; she feared she might never see him again. ‘Brother Chu, it was my fault! I shouldn’t have done that. Please forgive me, won’t you?"
“Brother Chu…”
Yuan Feng grabbed Yan Ruoxi and said, "Miss Yan, please go back."
"No…" Tears slid down Yan Ruoxi’s face. She didn’t want to leave, but Yuan Feng dragged her out by force.
At that moment, Physician Ye, who had come to visit, happened to witness this scene.
“What has happened?”
Seeing Physician Ye, Yan Ruoxi burst into tears, crying in grievance. "Master…"
Physician Ye furrowed his brows. "What is going on here? Could it be Lord Chu?"
Physician Ye felt distressed. Xi’er was his disciple, raised under his watch since childhood, their bond deep, like that of a granddaughter. Seeing her suffer humiliation, dissatisfaction rose in his heart.
He immediately entered the room and said to Chu Yunli: "Lord Chu, Xi’er meant well. She was worried about your health and asked me to come to examine your pulse."
“My lord, how can you not understand Xi’er’s good intentions?"
Chu Yunli looked at Physician Ye with a cold gaze. "Good intentions? Heh. Miss Yan’s kindness is something I cannot accept."
"What do you mean by that?’ Physician Ye grew angry. His disciple had shown devotion and loyalty to Lord Chu, yet Lord Chu’s attitude was so cold.
“Physician Ye can personally go and ask Miss Yan what she has done.”
Physician Ye was taken aback. Did Lord Chu’s words mean that Xi’er had done something?
Chu Yunli coldly pointed at the white porcelain bottle lying on the ground.
Physician Ye saw the white porcelain bottle rolling on the ground and picked it up.
“This is… wound medicine?”
He opened the stopper, sniffed, and indeed it was wound medicine.
Wait!
A little different.
Physician Ye’s face grew solemn. By carefully discerning, he quickly detected subtle differences in the wound medicine—it contained poison! The scent of the toxin was similar to that of the herb Muliaoxiang, and without close examination it would not be noticed.
“Lord Chu, this is…”
Physician Ye thought of something, and his expression changed drastically. Could it be…
Physician Ye quickly turned around and walked out.
"Xi’er!" Physician Ye’s face turned cold. "Was it you who meddled with what’s inside?"
Yan Ruoxi’s whole body stiffened, forgetting even to cry. She looked at Physician Ye with fear. His face was stern, and she was terrified of her master’s angry look.
“Master…”
"Speak! Was it you who tampered with it?" Physician Ye demanded.
Yan Ruoxi did not dare to hide it and nodded.
Physician Ye, bitterly disappointed, said: "You… why did you put poison in it?"
"I never meant to hurt Brother Chu… I only… I only…" Yan Ruoxi’s voice broke, words failing her as tears streamed down. "Master, I was wrong. I should never have done this."
Physician Ye had faintly felt earlier that Yan Ruoxi was not quite right.
Ever since He Province, Yan Ruoxi’s mood had been off—absent‑minded, even making mistakes while preparing medicine. Only now is it clear that she was secretly plotting harmful deeds!
“You!”
Physician Ye fiercely flung his sleeve, full of disappointment.
Yan Ruoxi immediately grabbed Physician Ye’s sleeve. "Master, Xi’er was wrong…"
Physician Ye felt disappointed. Xi’er was his personally taught disciple, gifted and intelligent, with great talent in medicine, destined to inherit his mantle—but now…
It was his poor teaching that led her astray.
Physician Ye let out a heavy sigh and said toward the room: "Lord Chu, this old man will go back and properly teach Xi’er."
Having said this, he pulled Yan Ruoxi away.
Inside the room, Chu Yunli ordered coldly: "From this day forward, do not let unrelated people enter the residence."
"Yes," Yuan Feng responded.
He hadn’t expected that Miss Yan would actually poison the medicine. No wonder her expression had seemed strange back in He Province.
Such people must absolutely never be allowed to enter the residence again.
Yuan Feng suddenly recalled something. Wait! So back in He Province, when the lord’s face was pale—was it because he had been poisoned?
"My lord!"
Chu Yunli seemed to know what he was thinking and said calmly: "It’s already fine."
Cold sweat broke out on Yuan Feng’s back. As the personal guard, he had failed to notice his lord’s abnormal state—it was his negligence.
🐇♡🐇♡🐇♡🐇
Yan Ruoxi: Brother Chu, I only wanted Jiang Ning to take the blame! I never intended to hurt you!
Chu Yunli: You poisoned my medicine.
Yan Ruoxi: But it wasn't a deadly poison!
Chu Yunli: Would you like me to congratulate you?
Yan Ruoxi: ...
Chu Yunli: Yuan Feng, escort her out.
Yuan Feng: Yes, my lord.
Yan Ruoxi: BROTHER CHU! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!
Yuan Feng: Miss Yan, please stop grabbing the doorframe.
Yan Ruoxi: I WON'T LEAVE!
Yuan Feng: Miss Yan, this is my master's residence, not a public market.
Yan Ruoxi: I JUST WANT TO SEE HIM!
Yuan Feng: And I just want to finish my shift.
Yuan Feng looks up at the heavens.
Yuan Feng: I have fought bandits, assassins, and enemy soldiers. Why is dragging one woman out of a doorway the most difficult mission of my career?
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