The Dragon King: [Based on my years of reading storybooks, this food is poisoned!]
Xu Yutang also didn't trust Xu Zeyuan. She knew well that among the entire Xu family, Xu Zeyuan was the most unfathomable and the one she must never provoke.
Seeing Xu Yutang's guarded attitude towards him, Xu Zeyuan let out a soft laugh. "Yutang, don't you trust your grandfather yet? Well, you're still a child. It's normal to have such random thoughts."
Xu Zeyuan picked up his chopsticks and tasted all the dishes on the table.
Xu Yutang was more receptive to soft persuasion than coercion. If Xu Zeyuan had been like Xu's father, Xu Yutang would have overturned the table and wouldn't have taken a single bite. But since Xu Zeyuan was extremely kind - even not blaming Xu Yutang for her suspicion and generously tasting all the dishes on the table - Xu Yutang hesitated instead.
Xu Zeyuan's tone became even softer. "Yutang, look, your grandfather is fine. These dishes aren't poisoned. Won't you really have a taste? You rarely get a chance to eat such meat dishes on normal days."
Looking at the sumptuous dishes on the table, Xu Yutang struggled inside. It was as if there were two little people fighting each other in her heart.
One said she couldn't eat. The Xu family was extremely hypocritical. In order to bring her back, they even ruined her reputation in the Drunken Melody Tower and dragged her away.
The other said that since Xu Zeyuan had already tasted the food, it meant the dishes weren't poisoned. It wouldn't hurt to have a try. Maybe Xu Zeyuan still cared about her as his granddaughter.
Seeing Xu Yutang's tangled expression, Xu Zeyuan almost burst out laughing. This plan was about to succeed!
For a child who had longed for family affection since childhood, nothing was more important than the care from family members. This was an open scheme targeting Xu Yutang. Xu Zeyuan didn't believe Xu Yutang could refuse.
The Dragon King: [There's actually no poison? It can't be...]
Shen Baozhu felt a bit uncomfortable seeing this subtitle from the Dragon King. She reached out and overturned the whole table. The food was scattered on the ground and was obviously inedible.
A flash of anger crossed Xu Zeyuan's eyes. He stood up and scolded, "Where did this wild child come from? So ill - mannered!"
The Dragon King: [Judging from this situation, there's definitely poison! But where was it poisoned?]
Lin Yu: [The chopsticks or the bowls?]
The Dragon King suddenly realized. "That's right. It should be like this!"
The subtitles had already discussed where Xu Zeyuan had poisoned the food, and Xu Yutang's hesitation in her heart disappeared.
She protected Shen Baozhu behind her and lifted the table. Her tone was protective. "Isn't it just a table of food? Do you have to be so fierce? She's just a child. Why are you arguing with her?"
Xu Zeyuan was caught off guard by Xu Yutang's words. But thinking about his purpose, he managed to hold back his anger and said as gently as possible, "Grandfather isn't arguing with her. It's just that this table of food was specially made for you. Now that it's ruined, grandfather feels sad in his heart."
"You sit down first. Grandfather will ask the kitchen to prepare some more food and send it up."
Xu Yutang lovingly hugged Shen Baozhu and asked with concern, "Scared? Don't mind that old coot. Baozhu is the best child. You're not ill - mannered at all. It's all that old coot's nonsense!"
Hearing Xu Yutang's words, Xu Zeyuan almost lost his temper. He directly called the servants to prepare another table of food.
This instead reminded Xu Yutang. "Baozhu, the nanny who disciplined me has also come to the capital. Do you think I should beat her?"
Shen Baozhu thought of those rules Xu Yutang had mentioned, like having a fixed sleeping posture and not being too close to her elder brother. She subconsciously shivered. "Is it the nanny who said there should be a sleeping posture and you can't be too close to your elder brother?"
Xu Yutang nodded. "That's right. But her room is far from the attic. This rule of not being too close to the elder brother is okay for now. Xu Yusong and I don't have a close relationship. And I rarely leave the attic, so I don't really have the chance to..."
The Dragon King: [So much nonsense. The little cutie just asked if she wanted to!]
Shen Baozhu repeated the Dragon King's words. Xu Yutang nodded without hesitation. "Yes, I do!"
The Dragon King: [Then beat her!]
Lin Yu: [Didn't you say the effect has a time limit? Beat these three from the Xu family first.]
...
In the Princess Mansion.
Yan Mingli roughly told the story. He gasped for breath. "A - although I'm not quite sure if there's something wrong with the Xu family, but that person who bought the rat poison looked a bit like Xu Yutang. And the Xu family just invited Xu Yutang back... What should we do now?"
Shen Haiyan didn't have time to think much and said resolutely, "We'll act separately. I'll go and gather the guards of the Princess Mansion. You go and find out where the Xu family is staying after they entered the capital. You must be quick!"
"Ah? Okay." Yan Mingli subconsciously turned around. Suddenly, he thought of something and turned back. "There's no need to find out. I know where the Xu family is staying."
The Xu family was related by marriage to the Yong'an Marquis Mansion. When they entered the capital, Mother Chen had even taken Yan Mingli to prepare gifts. So Yan Mingli knew the Xu family's residence in the capital.
With the address of the Xu family, Shen Haiyan called a few guards, led out the horses from the backyard, and was ready to ride to the Xu family.
Yan Mingli looked at the tall and strong horses and swallowed his saliva. "Um, I can't ride a horse..."
The next moment, Yan Mingli was lifted onto the horse by Shen Haiyan, and even the money bag around his waist was taken by Shen Haiyan.
At first, Yan Mingli didn't know what Shen Haiyan was taking his money bag for. But as Shen Haiyan rode the horse, he felt like he was flying in the sky.
Shen Haiyan rode very fast. Sometimes, he didn't have time to avoid the small stalls on the street, so he just rode over them. And the silver was the compensation for the stall owners.
When the government saw someone galloping a horse in the busy market and was just about to send someone to arrest him, they were stopped by the common people.
"Sir, no one is galloping a horse. It's just that the horse is running a bit fast. That person was dragged away by the horse."
"That's right, that's right... Ouch, it's real silver!"
The silver that Yan Mingli carried with him was quite a lot. The common people who got the silver as compensation were all very happy.
A few stall owners who were affected but didn't get compensation were feeling sullen. Then the guards of the Princess Mansion brought the accountant and handed over the corresponding silver according to the losses, and explained the whole story.
Hearing that the noble people were in a hurry to save someone and accidentally stepped on their stalls, the stall owners held the broken silver and said repeatedly, "It's okay. Saving people is important. We can understand."
After a dizzying ride, Yan Mingli finally arrived at the Xu family. He was still feeling dizzy when he just stood still, and then he heard a familiar voice.
He turned his head and saw the waiter from the Drunken Melody Tower running over with the imperial guards.
Who?
The waiter was with the imperial guards?
Yan Mingli suspected he was having an illusion. He shook his head hard and took a closer look. It really was the waiter from his shop with the imperial guards.
Seeing Yan Mingli, the waiter ran even faster. He simplified the story of the Drunken Melody Tower into one sentence. "Miss Baozhu was kidnapped by the Xu family. They told me to go to the palace for help..."
Before the waiter could finish his sentence, Yan Mingli felt a gust of wind beside him. He turned his head and saw that Shen Haiyan had rushed into the Xu family.
Yan Mingli reacted half a beat later. "Baozhu was kidnapped by the Xu family? Kidnapped by the Xu family!"
It's over. Baozhu was kidnapped by the Xu family in the Drunken Melody Tower. If something happened to her, he might as well not live anymore!
Yan Mingli's face showed despair, and he also rushed into the Xu family following Shen Haiyan.
The leader of the imperial guards looked extremely serious and followed closely behind.