Chapter 7 Conspiracy

  The night is deep and quiet, with moonlight like frost.

  Pei Yuange lay in bed, but did not fall asleep. She stared into the depths of the night, her mind still turning over how to get rid of Gu Yiniang. This person was cunning and treacherous, with many tricks up her sleeve, and would surely cause trouble for her in the quiet chamber. Moreover, she was her own wet nurse, with a status that was not ordinary among servants. If she wasn't careful, Gu Yiniang would turn things around and accuse her of being ungrateful and cruel, spreading rumors that would be very disadvantageous to her.

  After a long deliberation, although it was all calculated, everything required human cooperation. But the current problem was that Qing Yu had been controlled by Gui Momo, and she couldn't even reach into other courtyards, there was no one available to use!

  Her gaze inadvertently touched her wrist, and her thoughts couldn't help but return to the note that suddenly appeared that night.

  "The medicine has been tampered with, don't use it. Delaying time, Master will return today."

  If it weren't for that note, Pei Yuange would never have thought that this time he was seriously ill, it was also Zhang Yun's doing. But thinking about it, it makes sense, her body has always been good, but being jilted by the Duke of Town's household had a great impact on her, causing her to be so anxious and worried that she couldn't recover from her illness for so long, and even became seriously ill and fell into a coma. It turns out that all of this, from start to finish, was Zhang Yun's doing, with the goal of putting on such a good show!

  I just don't know who told her the news.

  That person sent a message to herself, should be good intentions; Moreover, looking at the wording in the letter, it is a person from the government. If you can find that person, you will get help and won't be so isolated and helpless. However, this note has never appeared before, and Pei Yuange really can't think of who else in the mansion would have good intentions towards her except Pei Zhucheng?

  Just then, in the quiet of the night, a faint sound suddenly appeared, slowly and cautiously approaching her bedroom.

  A faint scent of Chinese herbal medicine wafts over, seemingly there yet not quite.

  Bai Yuansong's heart skipped a beat, this scent seemed to be the same as the one left by the person who passed her a note that night... Her mind racing, she quickly closed her eyes and lay down, pretending to fall asleep. The herbal fragrance grew clearer, it seemed like someone had reached the bedside, cool fingertips pressed against her wrist, then a soft sigh was heard, as if relieved of worries.

  The voice sounded like a woman's; Pei Yuansong's wrist suddenly turned over and he grasped the person's fingers with his reverse hand, flipping himself up.

  She was a young woman wearing a light green jacket and a pale purple long skirt, looking like she was seventeen or eighteen years old. She had her hair styled in two buns and wore a traditional Chinese dress, with a beautiful face that seemed familiar yet somewhat strange. Pei Yuange searched his mind for a while before hesitantly calling out her name.

  "Violet... Violet Garden?"

  Zi Yun was her mother's maid before she passed away, and later became her senior maid. She was originally well-treated, but in the seventh year of Pei Yuange's life, she stole a set of crimson gold hair accessories from Pei Yuange and was exposed. Pei Yuange wanted to drive her out of the mansion, but was stopped by the first wife, Shu Xueyu, who sent someone to intercept Zi Yun and took her to her own residence in the Jingji Courtyard. From then on, they never saw each other again. A series of events occurred afterwards, and Pei Yuange had almost forgotten about this person.

  Unexpectedly, the person who secretly passed on messages to her was actually herself!

  Under the moonlight, Zi Yun's face turned pale as she was suddenly caught, staring at Pei Yuange in shock and horror: "M...Miss..." She was extremely frightened, her beautiful lips bitten to the point of being bloodless.

  Miss?

  In Qingyuan Zhai, whether openly or privately, she was called "Fourth Miss", the fourth miss of Pei's mansion. But Zi Yun called her "Miss", it can be seen that in her heart, Pei Yuange is her only miss, no one else. Sometimes, a title can explain many things, intimacy and distance are all included, unfortunately, Pei Yuange from previous life did not understand these.

  "Five years ago, the theft... you were wronged by Gui's mother, weren't you? I was mistaken about you, sorry."

  "Miss!" Zi Yun suddenly opened her eyes wide, not expecting Pei Yuange to say something like that. Big tears rolled down her face, speechless and choking, shaking her head continuously. After a long time, she finally whispered, "Miss, don't say that, it's not your fault, it's my fault for not taking good care of you, I'm sorry to Ming Jin lady, sorry to you." The miss was still young at the time, didn't understand anything, and was deceived by Gui Yatou and her group. She had a mind to persuade, but became the thorn in Gui Yatou's eye, and was finally framed and driven out of Jingxiao courtyard.

  "Was it you who sent me a message saying that the medicine had been tampered with and told me not to take it?" Pei Yuange confirmed.

  Zi Yun nodded, her eyes welling up with tears: "When I served Mistress Ming Jin in the past, I learned some medical skills from her. This time, seeing that Miss is ill and suspicious, I was afraid that it was Concubine Zhang who had done something to you, so I took advantage of the fact that Gui Niang and the others were not paying attention, and secretly snuck in. As a result, I discovered that someone had tampered with the medicine, adding an extra ingredient, which not only made Miss's condition more severe, but also...also, that ingredient is extremely harmful to women's bodies, and Miss was already weak, if she took too much of it, she might...might never be able to have children!" Her expression suddenly became extremely sorrowful and indignant, but she still kept her voice down.

  Will there be no descendants?

  Pei Yuange gritted his teeth. For women, having children was a lifelong reliance, even more important than their husbands. Being childless was even a legitimate reason for divorce. It could be imagined that if a woman had no children, her future would be miserable and desperate! Such ruthless and secretive tactics, another arrow hitting two targets, Zhang Yun's methods were indeed good!

  However, someone had tampered with the soup...

  Pei Yuansong's heart suddenly moved, this matter may be useful for her... to plot against her? Humph, then she will let Zhang Yun know what it means to lose both the wife and the soldiers!

  "The one who poisoned me must be Zhang Yiniang. I remember you used to advise me, saying that both Gu Yiniang and Zhang Yiniang are not good people and told me not to get close to them. You were right, unfortunately, I didn't listen!" Pei Yuange pulled her hand, speaking softly, "Ziyan, do you know my current situation? Are you still willing to return to Jingxuan Zhai and help me?"

  What she needs most now is reliable manpower.

  Although, Zi Yun was in the Pavilion of Rattan for five years, it is now difficult to determine whether this is credible or not. At least, she did not get along with Gui Momo, so she was designed to be driven out of Jing Xiu Zhai, so she would never be a person of Zhang Yun. Based on this alone, she was very useful, and she also understood medicine...

  "Being able to return to Qinggui Zhai is what this slave's heart has been longing for day and night." Zi Yun's eyes suddenly brightened, but soon dimmed again, and she said in a low voice, "However, this slave is now a person of Jingxiang Institute, and Master will absolutely not agree to let Madam's people approach Miss."

  This involves the old case of the Pei Manor ten years ago - the death of Pei Yuange's birth mother, Ming Jin.

  At first, Ming Jin was a concubine, but after entering the mansion, she received extreme favor and affection. The original wife, Shu Xueyu, therefore made things difficult for her everywhere, and the two were not on good terms, with everyone in the mansion knowing about it. In the year when Yuan Ge was three years old, Ming Jin suddenly died, and Shu Xueyu, as the original wife, investigated this matter, beating to death many people; after hearing the news, Pei Zhucheng rushed back from the border and also beat to death many people, so the inside story of the incident could not be known except by a few people. However, afterwards, Shu Xueyu was stripped of her power to manage the mansion, confined to the Jing Ji courtyard, and never allowed to come out again. After that, the mansion gradually became dominated by Zhang Yun alone.

  Everyone says it was Madame Shu Xueyu who, out of jealousy, harmed and killed Madame Ming Jin.

  In her past life, Pei Yuange also thought that her mother was killed by Shu Xueyu, but before she died, she learned from Pei Yuanrong's mouth that her mother was actually harmed by Zhang Yun. So, Madame Shu Xueyu is innocent. However, Father probably still believes that Mother was harmed by Madame Shu Xueyu. In this case, how could he possibly allow Zi Yun from Jing Ji Yard to serve Pei Yuange?

  "Rest assured, I'll get Father to agree, but I need you to cooperate with me."

  Looking at the young lady with a confident and composed demeanor, with a subtle smile and a slight frown, yet exuding an inexplicable charm that makes one unconsciously convinced... Young lady, you're really different from before. If Lady Mingjin's spirit in heaven knew, she would definitely feel relieved, right? Zi Yuan nodded: "Yes, I'll do everything as you say!"

  "Tomorrow, Father will come to see me, at that time you will..." Pei Yuange leaned in close and whispered, slowly revealing the calculations in his heart...