Poisoning on the 29th

  The Imperial Academy is not a suitable place for my son, where one can only read dead books. Hua Yuexian forced her son to recite books, but she didn't want him to become a bookworm either. Until Zhang Fu mentioned that the Tianwu Enlightenment Ceremony would test children's qualifications to enter the Imperial Academy, with three procedures. One of them is that the treasure house of the Imperial Academy will be opened, and each child will have the opportunity to summon treasures, whoever grabs it first, the treasure naturally belongs to whom.

  What treasure is this of the National Academy? The clear and elegant eyebrows rose slightly, revealing a hint of interest.

  Huā Yùyán thought that if they could get their hands on this treasure, of course, they would take it. After taking it, even if they didn't need it themselves, they could sell it for silver. However, not just anyone could participate in the Tianwu Enlightenment Ceremony. Generally, only imperial relatives or prestigious families like the Huā family were eligible.

  Chang Fu stood beside her, waiting for her response.

  Outside the door, two maidservants arrived. The one walking in front was a bit older, around fifteen or sixteen years old, with a pointed chin and could be considered a beauty. She walked up to Hua Xiyan and curtsied: "Young Mistress, it's still early for dinner, Master has instructed the kitchen to prepare two bowls of bird's nest soup to fill your and Young Master's stomachs."

  A little maid came up with a tray, and in two palm-sized Qinghua porcelain bowls, the soup was clear and thick, with a few dried jujubes and almonds floating on the surface.

  Huā Yùyán picked up a bowl, making a gesture as if she was about to take a sip. Lí Dōngyù stared at the bowl of soup in her hand, his throat slightly tightening: relying on his intuition, this soup seemed to have a problem.

  Chang Fu gazed at the two maidservants, a look of seeming puzzlement crossing his face.

  When the bowl was about to touch her lips, it suddenly turned over and the soup inside spilled all over the little maid's face. Everyone was stunned for a moment.

  The senior maid knelt down: "Young mistress, I don't know what crime this servant has committed?"

  Hua Yu Yan coldly stared at the little maid. Seeing the little maid struggle for a while, she suddenly threw away the plate and bowl in her hands, covered her face with both hands, knelt on the ground and convulsed: "My face, my face, eldest miss spare my life!"

  Is bird's nest soup very hot?

  The soup that spilled on the ground didn't show any heat at all.

  It's poison!

  Chang Fu's head was suddenly splashed with water, cooling him down halfway. He shouted at the two maids: "How dare you! Who told you to bring this!"

  The big servant girl knelt on the ground and kept kowtowing: "It's Master, it's Master who ordered the kitchen to prepare."

  "How dare you say that about Master? Would Master harm Miss and Young Master?" Chang Fu raised his hand to slap Da Ya.

  "Hold on." Hua Yu Nian suddenly interjected.

  "Miss, this absolutely cannot be something Master ordered someone to do."

  Perhaps Hua Zhengkui had many complaints about this waste daughter, but as the saying goes, "a tiger does not eat its own cubs", Hua Zhengkui did not need to do such a thing.

  Hua Yuye only looked at the two maids' appearance, from the moment they stepped in, she had been paying attention, and it didn't seem like they were from Madame Liu's quarters: "Do you know which quarters these maids are from?"

  Chang Fu hesitated in his reply: "In Chen Ayi's room. But Chen Ayi herself..."

  "Is Aunt Chen pregnant?"

  Chang Fu raised his head and looked at Hua Xiuyan, whose eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. How many years had it been since Hua Xiuyan was last in the mansion? How did she know about this as soon as she came in?

  "When I paid my respects to Father and Mother in the main hall, I didn't see Chen Ayi." Hua Xiyan was unaware that Hua Zhengkui had taken several new concubines during her absence. She only knew that she hadn't seen anyone in the main hall, and since Changfu mentioned a Chen Ayi, it was easy to guess that this Chen Ayi must be Hua Zhengkui's new favorite.

  Taking advantage of her pregnancy, even Madame Liu's words could be ignored, and she didn't have to come to the main hall, only being spoiled by Hua Zhengke.

  Chang Fu admired her inference extremely. Hua Xiyue had changed beyond recognition since she came back this time, it was as if she had undergone a complete transformation.

  It can be inferred that Chen Yiniang should have come to win over Hua Xiyan in order to deal with Liu Shi. Therefore, these two bowls of bird's nest soup were indeed prepared by Chen Yiniang according to Hua Zhengkui's instructions and sent to the mother and son. Unfortunately, they couldn't escape Liu Shi's eyes.

  Kill with a borrowed knife!

  Chang Fu furrowed his brow: Now, all the evidence and witnesses are against Chen Niangniang. If this matter is exposed and reported to Hua Zhengke, and someone fans the flames, it's possible that Chen Niangniang will be finished.

  The little maid was poisoned and rolled on the ground. The big maid wiped away tears and snot, saying: "It wasn't my master who did it! Please, young mistress, be discerning."

  Chang Fu was at a loss, not knowing whether to find someone to take these two people to the government office or to Master's place, to help Hua Xiuyan get justice back, or to cover up this matter and leave Chen Niang a life.

  Huā Yù Yán was worried that the scene would scare her son, but when she turned around, he was sitting quietly in his chair, with a calm and unruffled expression. This made her wonder again: Was this really her son Xiao Mu Tou? If it wasn't Xiao Mu Tou, how could he look exactly like him?

  "Chang Fu, go and ask Chen Niang to come over. It's her person, of course it's better for her to handle it herself." Seeing Chang Fu still looking stunned, Hua Xiuyan waved her hand.

  Chang Fu thought for a moment, yes, this matter, of course, cannot let that third person succeed, it's best to let Chen Niang come over and witness it herself.

  Liu's wife gazed at the capital city's first-rate tailor, helping her precious son Hua Yue measure his body. Hua Yue put on the newly made clothes and struck a pose for Liu's wife to see: "Mother, how is it?"

  "Good looking." Mr. Liu put down his teacup and let his son come over to take a look around, feeling very satisfied.

  Her son is the most outstanding one and will be the sole heir of the Huafu estate in the future.

  Wang suddenly rushed in from outside and whispered a sentence into Liu's ear.

  "What did you say?" The Liu family's expression changed suddenly.

  Wang knelt down: "Madam, rest assured, they won't be able to find out."

  Liu's eyebrows were knitted again: "Didn't you splash dirty water on that fox spirit?"

  "It's just this strange. I heard it was covered up." Wang felt more and more suspicious, "How could that be? In the past when she was in Huafu, Chen Niang had never entered Huafu?"

  Liu's palms were hot and dry, and she was even a bit flustered: this adopted daughter of hers had grown up under her care, clearly a useless thing, how could she have changed so much?

  It seems there's no way to stop the mother and son from attending the ceremony. Is it true that they will really attend? Why does my heart feel so uneasy?

  "Sister." Hua Yue's delicate eyebrows shot up high, "That wild child, he can't be allowed to attend the grand ceremony. I don't want to be with him, he will lower my status."

  But this matter, even if they go to beg Hua Zhengkui not to let Hua Xiyuan and her mother attend, it's too late.

  The eunuch from the imperial palace formally delivered the grand ceremony invitation to the Huafu. Hua Zhengke took it with both hands, and after opening the folded paper, he saw that there were two children's names on it, his heart slightly startled: "Eunuch, this——"

  Hua Zhengke was hesitant about whether to let Hua Yexi's son participate, first because he was afraid that the little waste would affect the reputation of the Hua Mansion after going, and secondly because he was worried that Liu Shi would make trouble at home.

  It was unexpected that the imperial family knew when Hua Xiyan brought her son back. Moreover, Hua Xiyan's child is a wild seedling, and according to reason, the imperial family should look down on him, so why would they write his name on the invitation letter?

  The old man's face was flushed with joy as he smiled gently and said, "Actually, this name was added by the Crown Prince himself."