"Why did Madam kill Mammy Gu?"
The two young girls shook their heads. "That night, we were all ordered by the General to stay in our rooms. We don't know, but our quarters were closer to Madam's room, so we heard a little."
Rong Zhi pondered, then asked, "Do you know when Madam's birthday is?"
"Birthday?" Hearing this, both their faces showed confusion. Madam had only arrived at the General's mansion not long ago; how could they possibly know?
"I remember," one of them's eyes lit up, and she said to Rong Zhi, "I remember Madam's birthday is in the summer."
Summer?
It was already deep autumn. This meant that Xing Jiahui's birthday was not the same as those other girls. If that were the case, was Xing Jiahui's madness merely a coincidence? Or was she frightened by the sounds of fighting outside?
Rong Zhi did not linger. After fetching water and boiling it, she returned to make fresh tea for Xing Jiahui.
It wasn't that Rong Zhi was particularly willing to serve others. It was just that as a physician, she instinctively wanted to care for the sick.
When Xing Jiahui woke up and found the tea warm, with Rong Zhi diligently attending to her, she felt pleased. "It seems you have some sense. Come, comb my hair."
As she spoke, she prepared to get out of bed. Just then, a figure rushed in boisterously, accompanied by a fawning voice, "Miss, allow me to comb your hair for you."
It was Mammy Gu. She had likely been waiting outside and, hearing Xing Jiahui's satisfied voice from within, had barged in to claim credit.
Her timing was impeccable, pushing Rong Zhi aside. While combing Xing Jiahui's hair, she feigned concern, "Miss, how are you feeling? Are you uncomfortable? You really frightened this old servant..."
Xing Jiahui, hearing this display, thought Mammy Gu was genuinely worried about her, and so she replied, "I'm fine."
Rong Zhi mused that Mammy Gu was quite the actress, capable of "changing faces" like in Sichuan opera. She had been eager to distance herself from Xing Jiahui just moments ago, and now she was here seeking praise.
She quietly retreated, not wanting to impede Mammy Gu's moment of showing off.
It was late at night. From her position, Rong Zhi could see the servants on night duty scattered around. Past a corner gate was the servants' quarters in the rear courtyard, where Steward Xia Jin also resided.
Rong Zhi suddenly thought of something. There had to be someone controlling the corpse-manipulation technique. If the technique failed, that person would surely sense it. Yet, Xia Jin had made no move so far. Why?
Just then, Rong Zhi heard hushed, deliberate voices from a distance.
"Do you truly want to leave? You don't want to be here anymore?"
It was Xia Jin's voice!
Rong Zhi's guard went up. She glanced back at Xing Jiahui's room. Inside, Mammy Gu's flattering noises continued. It seemed Xing Jiahui wouldn't need her for a while. Rong Zhi quietly moved in the direction of the voices.
As she approached a tree in the rear courtyard, Rong Zhi finally saw clearly. It wasn't just Xia Jin speaking, but also Xia He, Qiu Ju, and Dong Mei. All four of them were there!
What were they doing here? Had Xia Jin become suspicious and intended to question them about their time in confinement?
Rong Zhi listened in secret. She heard Dong Mei say, "Steward, we are clumsy and cannot serve the General and Madam. We beg the Steward to let us leave. We will repay your great kindness with all our might, even if it means working like oxen and horses!"
Xia Jin's voice sounded impatient. "Do you think this is a marketplace? You can come and go as you please? Go, go, get out of here!"
He waved his hand, and despair appeared on the faces of the girls.
Rong Zhi found these girls too naive. She had already said this steward was not a good person, and yet they dared to directly tell the steward they wanted to leave!
After the girls left, Rong Zhi suddenly noticed Xia Jin looking in her direction. Had she been discovered? Rong Zhi quickly concealed herself in the darkness. Fortunately, Xia Jin seemed to just glance casually before leaving the area.
At night, Mammy Gu did not attend to Xing Jiahui's bedtime. Perhaps due to the fright Xing Jiahui had given her last time, Mammy Gu had specifically instructed Rong Zhi to take good care of Xing Jiahui tonight and never leave her side.
Rong Zhi outwardly complied, but as soon as Xing Jiahui fell asleep, Rong Zhi followed Mammy Gu out.
In her view, Mammy Gu had been acting suspiciously with Xia Jin last time. This time, by having someone else attend to Xing Jiahui, she was likely trying to shirk her duties and find an opportunity to do something else. And that something was most likely related to Xia Jin.
Rong Zhi guessed correctly. Mammy Gu was indeed going to find Xia Jin.
Fortunately, she had followed. To be safe, before leaving, Rong Zhi had also subtly used a calming incense on Xing Jiahui's nose to ensure a night of peaceful, dreamless sleep.
Rong Zhi followed Mammy Gu to the outside of Xia Jin's courtyard. She heard sounds of pleading coming from within. It was Mammy Gu, seemingly in great pain.
As Rong Zhi drew closer, she saw Xia Jin grab Mammy Gu by the hair and plunge a dagger into her chest. It was... drawing heart's blood!
Rong Zhi's eyes widened. Was Xia Jin up to something again?
Mammy Gu was held there. Although she appeared to be in agony, she did not struggle. After Xia Jin filled a white porcelain bowl with half a bowl of blood, he tossed Mammy Gu aside like a sack of rags.
Mammy Gu merely tidied her clothes, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and left the courtyard, as if she had come solely to collect blood.
Rong Zhi was utterly shocked.
She turned and suddenly bumped into a solid embrace. It was Xia Yunting, who had appeared behind her at some point, silently. Rong Zhi hadn't noticed him at all.
Xia Yunting's eyes questioned Rong Zhi's presence. Rong Zhi pointed inside and was about to say something when she suddenly realized that Xia Jin might overhear them. She then led Xia Yunting away from there and to Xia Yunting's bedroom, where Rong Zhi told him everything that had just happened.
Compared to Rong Zhi, Xia Yunting seemed much more stunned. He merely nodded to acknowledge her, appearing not overly concerned about the matter.
Rong Zhi was somewhat perplexed. "Aren't you afraid he'll stir up more trouble?"
Xia Yunting said, "Xia Jin was not responsible for the previous incident. There's no need to worry."
"What? It wasn't Xia Jin?" Rong Zhi's eyes widened, and she looked at Xia Yunting in astonishment. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Xia Yunting shrugged innocently. "You didn't ask."
Rong Zhi suddenly felt like she was being treated like a complete fool.
"Xiao Jianli has gone to investigate the real culprit. As for Xia Jin, he won't cause much of a ripple." This was why Xia Yunting hadn't focused much on Xia Jin. Otherwise, given Xia Yunting's nature, he would have investigated Xia Jin thoroughly.
"Really?" Rong Zhi was skeptical. Thinking back to the scene she had just witnessed, she still felt they shouldn't be so careless. However, since Xia Yunting wasn't worried, there was no need for her to be more anxious than necessary.
"Since you have a plan, I don't need to go undercover anymore." Rong Zhi suddenly thought of Xing Jiahui's situation and asked Xia Yunting, "Do you know about Xing Jiahui being poisoned?"
"Poisoned? What poison?" Judging by Xia Yunting's expression, he clearly didn't know about it.
Rong Zhi said, "It's the Seven-Day Poison. But compared to the one you had, Xing Jiahui's is much milder. Tell me, who could have poisoned Xing Jiahui?"
Xia Yunting thought for a moment. "Besides internal strife within the inner court, whoever poisoned Xing Jiahui must either be working for the Prime Minister's mansion or have them work for them."
Rong Zhi nodded in agreement. Xia Yunting's statement was quite precise.
Those working for the Prime Minister's mansion would be people from the Imperial Medical Academy. The people from Yanzi Mountain had connections with the Imperial Medical Academy back then. Whether out of restraint or revenge, poisoning Xing Jiahui would be plausible.
As for the second possibility, it was easier to understand: to better control Xing Jie, they poisoned Xing Jiahui, much like Chu Qingze did to Zhang Yajing back then.
"Which do you think is more likely?"
Xia Yunting said, "The latter."
His immediate response surprised Rong Zhi. "Did you already know?"
Xia Yunting shook his head. "I didn't know. It's just a guess. However, Xiao Mo, if it is indeed the latter, your method of detoxification might come in handy."
"I was planning to detoxify Xing Jiahui anyway," Rong Zhi voiced her intention. She would discreetly detoxify Xing Jiahui as a maid, without alerting anyone.
"No, Xiao Mo, it's best if you don't get involved right now."
"What do you mean?" Rong Zhi's smile faltered. "Are you telling me to stand by and do nothing?"
Although the poison in Xing Jiahui's body was not immediately life-threatening, if left untreated for a long time, it could become fatal.
Xia Yunting and the Prime Minister's mansion were at odds, and it was possible for Xing Jiahui to be targeted out of spite. However, since Rong Zhi had already decided to help Xing Jiahui detoxify, Xia Yunting's words made her unhappy.
Was she, Rong Zhi, such an unfeeling and unrighteous physician?
"That's not what I mean, Xiao Mo. Have you considered what might happen if the person who poisoned her realizes you've treated her now?"
Rong Zhi suddenly recalled the preciousness of the Seven-Day Poison. Although she and Chu Qingze had made it less troublesome, for most people, it was a fatal poison.
If the person behind it discovered that the Seven-Day Poison in Xing Jiahui's body had been neutralized, they would surely assume Xia Yunting was responsible.
They did not yet know who had administered the poison or what their motives were, so they could not act rashly.
Rong Zhi understood Xia Yunting's intent. Xing Jiahui was undoubtedly not an ordinary person, and even just detoxifying her would attract much unnecessary trouble.
She had overlooked this point and sighed, "You people in the court are so troublesome."
Unlike those in the martial world, who were unrestrained and free, able to do as they pleased without considering too many consequences.
Seeing Rong Zhi's frustration, Xia Yunting comforted her, "Don't worry. Given Xing Jiahui's status, she won't die anytime soon."