After returning home.
Liu Yushu stared blankly at the Qionghua Wine on the table. Zuitao wore an eager expression on her face. "Miss, I've heard that this wine is extremely hard to get. Aren't we really going to have a taste?"
Liu Yushu shook her head seriously. Although she was also curious about what it would taste like to have a blend of a thousand kinds of flower honey, this bottle of wine was definitely undrinkable!
She had joked with Wu Chunzhe that she would marry the person who gave her the Qionghua Wine. And... Wu Chunzhe actually took it seriously!
What did it mean that he gave her this wine?
"Zuitao, take the wine back! Right now, this instant."
"Alright, this servant understands." Zuitao replied regretfully.
Zuitao carefully carried the wine out. She went to the kitchen and took the chance when no one was around to open the lid. As soon as she did, the rich and fragrant aroma filled the whole kitchen. Just a whiff of it would make one tipsy.
She poured the wine into another delicate bottle, then filled the wine bottle with water. After swapping the wine, she sent it to the General's Mansion.
A servant in the General's Mansion was carrying the wine towards the courtyard when he was stopped by someone. He bowed respectfully to the young girl. "Greetings, Miss Qiao'er."
Jin Qiao'er was a relative of Wu Chunzhe from the countryside, the daughter of his paternal aunt. They had only met a few times since childhood.
Recently, Wu Chunzhe's mother and grandmother had been busy choosing concubines for him. Coincidentally, Jin Qiao'er came to the capital from the countryside to visit relatives, and was immediately taken a fancy to by Mrs. Wu and the old lady of the Wu family.
Jin Qiao'er was simply dressed. Her hair was styled in a popular way five years ago. There were no gold ornaments on her head or body. The most valuable thing she had was an heirloom jade bracelet, but it was of average quality and not worth much. She had an ordinary appearance, the kind that would never stand out in the street.
Some might call her a gentle and demure young lady, but in fact, she was just rustic and ordinary. However, it was precisely such a girl that the old lady of the Wu family was extremely satisfied with. She immediately decided that Jin Qiao'er would be Wu Chunzhe's concubine. Jin Qiao'er was a concubine daughter from a small family, and she was very willing to do this. Moreover, she had fallen in love with Wu Chunzhe at first sight.
However, Wu Chunzhe firmly refused to take a concubine. He only regarded Jin Qiao'er as a younger sister and usually didn't have much contact with her.
He liked smart and beautiful girls, like Liu Yushu. In his eyes, Liu Yushu was different from the other daughters of the noble families in the capital. She had never looked down on him because of his background.
"Who sent this wine?" Jin Qiao'er sized up the wine pot. Thinking that the pot was extremely valuable, she was very curious.
"It was sent by Miss Yushu from the Grand Tutor's Mansion. She said it was for the young master." The servant answered truthfully.
Jin Qiao'er fell into deep thought. She had heard of Miss Yushu as soon as she came to the capital. She was very famous and was one of the most beautiful girls in the capital. She was still unmarried. It was said that the youngest son of the Minister of War wanted to marry her and had even proposed. So why was she so close to Brother Chunzhe?
The maid beside her exclaimed in surprise. "Miss Qiao'er, this wine is extraordinary. There's a new restaurant in the capital. The owner has a great background. Especially this Qionghua Wine. Without some skills, it's not easy to buy. This Miss Yushu is really amazing. Sending such a valuable wine to Young Master Chunzhe. What does she mean?" Seeing Jin Qiao'er's face turn a little ugly, the maid forced a smile. "She's about to marry the young master of the Zhao family. Young Master Chunzhe doesn't take a fancy to her. No matter how much she tries to please Young Master Chunzhe, it's useless. Even if she has some ulterior motives, the old lady won't agree."
"That's right. She's supposed to be a noble young lady, but she's actually doing such a two - timing thing. It's really shameless!" Jin Qiao'er murmured to herself with a cold look in her eyes. She ordered the maid to take the wine to her room. As for Wu Chunzhe, she told the maid to say what needed to be said.
-
In the evening, Liu Yushu was admiring the moon in the courtyard. She told Zuitao to get some snacks.
A heart - intoxicating aroma wafted into her nostrils. She turned her head and saw Zuitao walking in through the moon gate with a tray in her hand.
The snacks were nothing special, but the wine today was especially fragrant.
"What a fragrant wine. When did we have such fine wine at home?" Liu Yushu closed her eyes and looked completely intoxicated.
Zuitao's eyes flickered. She forced a smile guiltily. "A few days ago, Nanny Xie sent it. She said it was a medicinal wine for refreshing." She lied casually.
Liu Yushu had no idea that the Qionghua Wine had been swapped!
Liu Yushu took a sip of the wine. It slid smoothly into her mouth, tasted sweet, and when she swallowed it, it was like a soft petal. Her mood immediately improved. Her cheeks were rosy. She walked to the swing and started swinging. The moon in front of her eyes was hazy. "The moon is really beautiful today."
Zuitao was already drunk. She sat on the ground and giggled. "The Qionghua Wine is really as famous as it's said to be."
This wine was really amazing. While Liu Yushu was in a great mood, things weren't going so well for the general.
Suddenly, Jin Qiao'er fell ill. After dinner, she vomited several times. Her face was as pale as a sheet as she lay on the couch, gasping weakly and looking extremely frail.
This really worried the old lady of the Wu family. She asked the doctor, "What on earth is going on? The child was fine. How could she suddenly fall ill? She's not one of those pampered young ladies in the capital with a weak constitution. This child usually has a strong body."
"Yes, doctor. How could a healthy person suddenly fall so ill? It's really pitiful." Mrs. Wu was also extremely anxious. She was completely at a loss.
The affairs in the mansion were all decided by General Wu. Mrs. Wu always listened to General Wu and wasn't a person who could handle things.
"I've already given the young lady acupuncture. It seems that the young lady has been poisoned. This kind of poison is very strange and not commonly seen. Did she eat or drink anything strange today?" The doctor asked the maid who served Jin Qiao'er.
The maid's eyes lit up. "The young lady drank some wine during dinner, and then she started saying she felt dizzy. Could there be something wrong with this wine?"
"What wine? This child has always been honest and obedient. Why would she suddenly drink wine?" The old lady of the Wu family frowned.
Since Jin Qiao'er had moved into the Wu family's mansion, she had been extremely obedient to the old lady of the Wu family and Mrs. Wu as well. Except for Wu Chunzhe, who was indifferent to her, everyone in the family was very satisfied with her. Even though she hadn't officially entered the family yet, the Wu family had already defaulted that she would be Wu Chunzhe's concubine.
"The young master has been away from home these days. Every time he comes back and the young lady goes to greet him, he's cold to her. The young lady was very sad and always cried secretly. Today, she was really pent - up, so she drank some wine. It was the wine sent by Miss Yushu from the Grand Tutor's Mansion." When the maid said this, she deliberately emphasized the words "Yushu".
"Bring that bottle of wine over for the doctor to take a look." Mrs. Wu said nervously. She walked over to support the old lady of the Wu family. "Mother, that Miss Yushu from the Grand Tutor's Mansion is not easy to deal with. Why would she take a fancy to our Zhe'er? We can't afford to climb up to such a noble young lady, and we don't dare to either. She's about to marry the youngest son of the Minister of War, but she still sends things to our family. Isn't she just deliberately causing trouble?" Her tone was full of worry and fear.
"You're right." The old lady of the Wu family frowned. When she mentioned Liu Yushu, her face changed. She sneered contemptuously. "I've heard of that girl. They say she's one of the most beautiful girls in the capital. The rich young masters in the capital are lining up to marry her. A woman just can't be too beautiful. Otherwise, she won't be安分. She doesn't understand the three obediences and four virtues, and she won't know how to serve her husband and in - laws. She spends all her time dressing up and attracting men. Look at the women in the brothels. Which one of them isn't beautiful? But they're all cheap whores. Zhe'er must never marry a fickle woman. Otherwise, she'll cuckold him in the future, and our Wu family's reputation will be ruined. I won't have the face to see our ancestors when I die and go to the underworld." The old lady sighed loudly. She looked up at the frail Jin Qiao'er on the couch and showed a satisfied smile. "I think Qiao'er is very suitable to be a wife. She's really ordinary - looking, but a woman like this is down - to - earth. She won't seduce men, and she doesn't have the capital to do so. Her family background is so low that the only way for her to rise in this life is to rely on Zhe'er. She definitely won't dare to do anything to betray Zhe'er. A woman like this can be a virtuous wife."
"Mother is right. I'll definitely remember mother's teachings. I'll persuade Zhe'er well and let him stay away from that girl from the Grand Tutor's Mansion and marry Qiao'er as soon as possible." Mrs. Wu nodded repeatedly. She ordered the maid, "Go, call the young master over. Tell him that the old lady wants to see him."
Everyone in the mansion knew that Jin Qiao'er was ill, but Wu Chunzhe didn't take it to heart at all.
"I'm not going. I'm not a doctor. It won't do any good for me to go. If the King of Hell wants to take someone, I can't stop him." Wu Chunzhe was lying reclined on the couch, reading a book. He frowned and murmured in a low voice, "Should I send flowers or food?"
"Young master, you'd better go. The old lady said that Miss Yushu poisoned Miss Qiao'er." The attendant Kan Ning rushed in anxiously.