Beyond the screen, the figure on the bed was faintly visible.
The charcoal fire in the room burned strong.
Madam Wu led the way behind the screen, and her voice came from within.
"A Chu..."
There was no response.
"Please, all of you, come in."
The screen was opened, and the figure on the bed appeared before everyone.
It was a beautiful woman.
Flashing images crossed Qin Jiujiu's mind; she had seen this woman before.
At the Tianwaitian Restaurant.
Qin Jiujiu then turned to look at Liu Jin. This Miss Wu had visited the Tianwaitian Restaurant on the day she fell ill, and had been sick ever since.
And just now, when Liu Jin had the servant report at the door, she had explicitly mentioned that there was something to give to Miss Wu. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Only then did she mention the Tianwaitian Restaurant.
The Tianwaitian Restaurant was quite famous in Xiliu City. The fact that Jiang Yan was the hidden boss behind the Tianwaitian Restaurant had already spread.
And Jiang Yan had indeed visited this Wu family to treat Wu Jinchu.
It was because of this that when the servant heard the name of the Tianwaitian Restaurant, he went in to report to his master.
But why had Miss Wu gone to the Tianwaitian Restaurant that day?
Liu Jin did not understand why Qin Jiujiu was suddenly looking at her, and naturally appeared confused.
"Jiujiu, did you figure something out?" she asked directly.
There was no trace of concealment on Liu Jin's face. It seemed Liu Jin was unaware that Wu Jinchu had been to the Tianwaitian Restaurant that day.
"Not exactly. I just wanted to ask Madam Wu what symptoms Miss Wu has been experiencing."
"I will then relay them to my friend."
Just then, Wu Jinchu suddenly began to cough violently.
"Cough, cough, cough, cough..."
After a violent coughing fit, she spat out a large mouthful of blood.
"A Chu!" Madam Wu rushed forward. After spitting out the blood, Wu Jinchu suddenly quieted down.
"As you can all see, my A Chu coughs up blood daily. It's happening more and more frequently now. Even the doctors are helpless and cannot diagnose the illness. If this continues, my A Chu will not have much time left..."
Madam Wu couldn't help but shed tears.
Liu Jin placed a hand on Madam Wu's shoulder in comfort.
Qin Jiujiu looked at Xie Jing, who was standing not far away, his gaze cold as he looked at the woman on the bed.
But he clearly knew something...
"Where has Miss been going these days?" Seeing Wu Jinchu at the Tianwaitian Restaurant that day was definitely not a coincidence.
Madam Wu's expression gradually softened.
She calmed herself slightly and called out to the outside, "Xiao Tao!"
A maid then appeared.
Qin Jiujiu recognized her as the maid who had followed Wu Jinchu that day.
"Xiao Tao, where has Miss been going these past few days?"
Wu Jinchu, as a young lady from a respectable family, rarely left her chamber. However, she had been going out frequently in recent days. No one knew why.
And she would be out for a long time, half a day at a time, accompanied only by this maid.
"Miss..."
Xiao Tao hesitated.
Madam Wu said sternly, "Speak the truth!"
"General Lu returned to the city some days ago. Miss went to find General Lu some time ago, but afterwards, Miss seemed to be not quite right. Xiao Tao often saw Miss weeping silently, and then she started going to the Tianwaitian Restaurant frequently..."
Xiao Tao swallowed and continued, "Miss would spend most of the day at the Tianwaitian Restaurant, and wouldn't let me follow her in..."
Therefore, Xiao Tao naturally knew nothing about what had happened at the Tianwaitian Restaurant.
Qin Jiujiu recalled that day; Xiao Tao had indeed run in from behind.
It was because the Lu family had come to the Wu family to propose marriage.
A few days ago, there had been a lively event in the imperial city.
It was the Emperor's decree that bestowed the marriage between the Lu family and the Wu family. The proposal ceremony was incredibly grand.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tao had immediately gone to the Tianwaitian Restaurant to find her young lady.
Wu Jinchu and Lu Tingsheng had grown up together. The Lu and Wu families were well-matched: one the head of the civil officials, the other a leading figure among military commanders.
Both were the sole heirs of their families...
"Xiao Tao, did you hear your young lady mention anything?" Qin Jiujiu looked at Xiao Tao, a comforting smile on her face.
Xiao Tao, who had been feeling somewhat flustered, felt a little more at ease upon seeing Qin Jiujiu's sweet face.
She thought carefully and then said, "Miss seems to have been troubled by the marriage these days, and often weeps..."
"Nonsense! Your young lady is clearly pleased with this marriage."
Madam Wu interrupted sternly.
Xiao Tao shrunk back, no longer daring to speak.
Qin Jiujiu gently patted Xiao Tao's hand and then said to Madam Wu, "Madam, please forgive me. It's not that I wish to pry into Miss's private affairs. It's just that this illness is so sudden and severe, unlike any ordinary sickness. Perhaps these matters may be beneficial in understanding Miss's condition."
Madam Wu calmed down slightly upon hearing this.
But she still insisted, "A Chu and Lu Tingsheng have been childhood sweethearts since they were young. Although Lu Tingsheng later became a general and went to the battlefield, A Chu waited for him. Now that he has finally returned, I never expected..."
Madam Wu truly felt heartbroken for her daughter, and within a short while, tears streamed down her face again.
Looking at the woman on the sickbed, who was only seventeen or eighteen years old, Qin Jiujiu felt a pang of sympathy.
The Tianwaitian Restaurant was a key.
But it was clear that nothing more could be gleaned from Xiao Tao.
Shenguan was some distance away. She wondered when Xie Yun and the others would return to the imperial palace.
Perhaps when they returned, she could try to establish contact on the street.
"Madam, I will find a way to send a letter to my friend right away. For these days, we can only await his reply..."
Madam Wu nodded, her eyes misty. "Please, you all stay at my Wu family residence for now. I will have rooms arranged for you, alright?"
Qin Jiujiu thought for a moment and nodded.
Staying at the Wu family's residence might bring her closer to the truth.
"Madam, would it be possible for me to examine Miss's room?"
"Please..."
Perhaps it was due to the extreme danger of her daughter's illness, but Madam Wu, who would normally never agree to such a request, could only comply now.
"This young gentleman should wait outside for now..."
Under Madam Wu's instruction, a maid stepped to block Xie Jing. Allowing them to see Wu Jinchu on the bed was already a great transgression; her boudoir was even more off-limits to men.
"Young master!"
Xie Jing's eyes were fixed, and with a cold face, he was about to move past her to Qin Jiujiu's side.
Qin Jiujiu heard this and looked towards Xie Jing, seeing his hands clenched at his sides, as if he were about to kill someone in the next moment.
The coldness in Xie Jing's eyes intensified.
"Xie Jing!" she called out quickly.
She hurried over, separating Xie Jing from the maid.
Qin Jiujiu said softly, "Could you wait outside?"
Her tone was gentle, and her bright eyes looked at him.
Xie Jing's clenched hands suddenly loosened. Qin Jiujiu glanced at them and felt a little relieved.
"This way, young master."
A pot of hot tea and some pastries were brought in from outside.
Qin Jiujiu took off her Qiankun bag and took out some food from within—strawberry-flavored candies.
As if coaxing a child, "Here you go..."
He remembered that although Xie Jing disliked pastries, he had eaten these candies before.
She assumed he must like them.