Chapter 34: Something’s Not Right

“Miss, that person said she once saw Second Miss at a certain medical clinic. At the time, Second Miss mysteriously received some medicinal herbs from the physician. She was standing a bit too far away to hear their conversation. But when leaving the clinic, she overheard the medicine boy muttering while organizing the medicine cabinet.

The medicine boy said that the amount of Gelsemium elegans in the cabinet had decreased again.”

Nan You spoke while observing Jiang Jin’s expression.

Seeing that her expression remained unchanged, still as calm as ever,

she continued, “That person later heard from people in Second Miss’s courtyard that Second Miss had passed by the kitchen that day. Although she didn’t enter, still…”

The rest didn’t need to be said; everyone present understood that this was all connected to Jiang Wanqing.

And Jiang Wanqing naturally wouldn’t harm her own birth mother, so, of course, the person she intended to harm was Jiang Jin!

“So it was her!”

Jiang Jin lowered her gaze, and only after a long while did she continue, “Nan You, take the witnesses to the main courtyard. Song Li, you go find Jiang Wanqing and tell her that the mastermind behind Aunt Zhao’s poisoning has been found!”

“Yes.” Song Li and Nan You responded simultaneously, then went off to carry out Jiang Jin’s instructions.

Meanwhile, Jiang Jin sat on the couch, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

She had considered many possibilities but never imagined that Jiang Wanqing would be so bold.

To poison her directly within the Jiang household—did she truly think this was still the Wei Guogong Residence?

“Something’s not right!” Jiang Jin suddenly opened her eyes. Even if Jiang Wanqing had such intentions, it wouldn’t be now.

At this moment, she was in a difficult situation. If this matter were exposed, she would lose even her last support.

For Jiang Wanqing to dare to do this, there must be someone else backing her.

But who could that person behind her be?

Jiang Jin furrowed her brows, unable to make sense of it.

She rose from the couch and suddenly thought of someone.

At a time like this, only he could help her.

But it had been a long time since they last met, and she didn’t know how he was doing now.

With Song Li and Nan You both gone, she randomly picked a clever and reliable servant in the courtyard and sent her to the Youhuang Courtyard to find Buyu.

If he wasn’t there, she was to go to Second Madame to find Buyu.

She believed that Second Aunt would have a way to contact Xie Chengzhi!

…

After waiting for a long time, the messenger returned.

As expected, Buyu was not in the Youhuang Courtyard, but she had gone to Second Madame’s courtyard and brought back her reply: “Miss, Second Madame said you need not worry. Buyu will return in half an hour.”

Hearing this, Jiang Jin smiled with relief.

Indeed, Second Elder Brother still cared for Second Aunt.

Half an hour was just right for her.

Not long after, Buyu arrived.

Upon seeing Jiang Jin, he bowed and asked, “Third Miss, is there something you need from the Young Master?”

He saw through Jiang Jin’s intentions at a glance—looking for him wasn’t truly about him but about the person he followed.

However, given the Young Master’s special status at the moment, he couldn’t freely come and go between the Jiang household and the Guogong Residence like he could.

“Yes. Please take a message back to him when you return. Ask him to help me investigate who Jiang Wanqing has been in contact with recently. This person’s status is either wealthy or noble, and it’s highly likely they hold a prominent position in the court.”

After all, someone who could protect Jiang Wanqing, who had poisoned someone, within the Jiang household was no ordinary person.

Wei Shuli may have the capability, but if he truly had such intentions, he would not have divorced Jiang Wanqing back then, allowing her to return to the Jiang family.

Therefore, this person could only be someone deeply hidden behind the scenes, with immense influence over the Jiang family!

At her current level of ability, she could not investigate someone of that stature.

Thus, this matter could only be entrusted to Xie Chengzhi to investigate.

“Third Miss, aside from this matter, is there anything else you wish me to convey to my young master?” Buyu pressed further.

Although returning with this result would not be wrong, he also understood that what his young master truly anticipated was more than just a single request from Third Miss.

Jiang Jin hesitated for a moment before continuing, “For now…”

“When you return, please help me pass a message to Second Elder Brother. Ask him if he is well?” After saying this, Jiang Jin spoke no more of these matters.

Seeing that Jiang Jin had nothing further to say, Buyu took her words and returned to the Cheng Guogong Residence.

However, at that time, Xie Chengzhi was not at the Guogong Residence but had gone to the military camp.

Military affairs were important, but Jiang Jin’s matters were also significant.

Buyu dared not make decisions on Xie Chengzhi’s behalf, so he went to the military camp to find him.

Xie Chengzhi knew the relative importance of things in his heart; he understood what needed to be done!

Sure enough, when Buyu went to the military camp, found Xie Chengzhi, and relayed Jiang Jin’s request and greetings, Xie Chengzhi nodded and immediately issued orders.

There were no matters in the Weiwu Army urgent enough to require his personal decision, so after delegating the military camp affairs, he returned to the capital with Buyu.

But before he could take any action, he heard some rumors about the Jiang family.

At that time, he and Buyu were waiting for that person in a tavern, and the surrounding discussions were so loud that they clearly reached his ears, even from upstairs and downstairs.

“Have you heard? The Third Miss of the Jiang family claims her stepsister tried to poison her. Although she had evidence, for some reason, the witness suddenly changed her testimony, saying it was the Third Miss who instructed her to say so!”

“Really? Isn’t the Third Miss the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family? Why would she bother with a divorced stepsister?”

“Ah, if I didn’t know someone from the Jiang family, I wouldn’t have known the Third Miss was such a person! Truly… you can’t judge a person by their appearance!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, these noble families are all the same. I bet the Second Miss is no easy target either. But you should just enjoy the spectacle and be careful not to be overheard by someone who might report you to Lord Jiang!

You’d better watch out!”

…

The two men’s discussion revolved around Jiang Jin and Jiang Wanqing. Upon hearing this, Xie Chengzhi clenched his fists tightly.

Buyu was also quite surprised. After calming down, he asked Xie Chengzhi, “Young Master, shall we intervene?”

As he spoke, he made a gesture to silence the rumors.

However, Xie Chengzhi did not believe this would stop the spread of such gossip. He suspected these rumors were likely spread by that person.

Otherwise, how could these people possibly have access to the internal affairs of the Jiang family?

“Order them to speed up the investigation into that person’s identity! If it truly is the one we suspect, then we must not let him go!”

Xie Chengzhi picked up the tea on the table and took a sip, trying to soothe the turmoil in his heart.

In just half a day, she had already fallen into such peril.

Just as Xie Chengzhi was worrying about Jiang Jin, Jiang Jin herself was quite at ease.

Last-minute changes like this were of no use to her at all.

After all, from the very beginning, she had made more than one plan.

Someone who had lived a second life without a bit of caution would be unworthy of the painful experiences of her previous life!

Her past life in the royal palace had taught her—always prepare for two possibilities, and never place all your bets on a single person.