The bridal chamber, Qifeng Pavilion, the bridal chamber.
The hollow gilt incense burner burned with wisps of concentrated incense.
On the table covered with red wedding fabric, pairs of dragon and phoenix candles burned, the red candle tears dripping down, like intertwined fireworks.
Shao Yingying sat on the edge of the bed, furrowing her delicate brows, rubbing her swollen ankles from entertaining guests all day, hearing the noise outside, but because of her drunkenness, she couldn't hear very clearly, just feeling not only her ankles hurt, but also her head hurt terribly. Growing more impatient, Shao Yingying shouted loudly outside the door, "Ningxiang, Ningxiang!"
This damn servant!
Just asking her to fetch some foot washing water and an ice pack, how come it's been half an hour and she's still not here?
"Ningxiang, Ningxiang!"
Creak, the door was pushed open, footsteps approached slowly.
"Ningxiang, what's the matter with you? How come it took you so long to fetch foot washing water! And the ice pack, did you bring it? Okay, I don't feel like listening to your excuses, hurry up, come over here and massage my legs!"
Drunk and with a severe headache, Shao Yingying also had no intention of worrying about what exactly was happening outside, and it was not her turn to care as a bride. Lowering her head to look at her increasingly swollen ankle, Shao Yingying urged impatiently without lifting her head.
The bed curtains and the reception sofa were separated by a jade screen, and the wedding candles flickered, distorting the slender figure of the bride, elongating it.
"You little slut, are you upset because I scolded you? Ningxiang, I warn you, don't think that because you used to serve Ye Huaran, you're some sort of favored personal maid to the princess consort, you'll serve me reluctantly. What if you were a princess consort? Now, you're nothing more than a bereaved dog. If it weren't for my great kindness, persuading third brother to take you as a concubine, you wouldn't even know which brothel you'd be selling yourself in, lying under which man..."
Footsteps approached.
A shadow enveloped, Shao Yingying couldn't help but raise her head angrily, Ye Huaran's ethereal and exquisite face was illuminated by the red wedding candlelight, giving off a stunningly breathtaking beauty.
The sharp edge of the knife pressed against Shao Yingying's fair, delicate neck.
The person holding the knife smiled gently, with a charming smile, "Lying under which man, you say?"
Shao Yingying's pupils contracted sharply.
She instinctively opened her mouth, but Ye Huaran was prepared, how could she give her the opportunity to call for help?
The red wedding handkerchief hidden in her sleeve was promptly and accurately stuffed into Shao Yingying's mouth, "Don't move, otherwise, if you move, I'll cut a line on your face..."
The tone was extremely gentle, like Ye Huaran herself, always speaking softly and gently to anyone, with a pleasant demeanor.
Never had she thought that one day, a delicate flower like Ye Huaran, nurtured in a greenhouse, would also come to a day of wielding a knife to harm others. And the voice that sounded like a gentle breeze passing by, now ringing in her ears, was sinister, as if it came from the depths of the underworld.
In troubled times, any family with the means would equip themselves with some means of self-defense.
Shao Yingying was no exception.
In the past, her pistol was always on her person.
Today, she was careless!
Shao Yingying's hand quickly reached under the pillow—her pistol, which she always kept on her person, was under the pillow.
During the Three Kingdoms period, Wei Crown Prince Pi created three Hundred Pity Daggers, one of which seemed as rigid as ice, named Qing Gang.
Before Xie Yu Bai died, he gave away his lifelong cherished personal weapon, along with his unfulfilled desire and deep obsession, as a gift to Huaran.
The snowy-white arm was cut cleanly, and the gun hidden under the pillow was found, splattering blood on Ye Huaran's otherworldly beautiful face, as beautiful as a flower blooming in the underworld mansion.
"Uh!!"
Shao Yingying's body spasmed suddenly, her mouth stuffed with a handkerchief, unable to even scream, unable to even remove the handkerchief, for fear that her other hand would also be cut off cleanly.
Tears filled her reddened eyes, her eyeballs bulging, cold sweat beading like pearls.
The instinct for survival made Shao Yingying use her body to push away Ye Huaran, but when her body collided with Ye Huaran, Shao Yingying was shocked to find that her body was soft and weak, not only unable to push away Ye Huaran to escape, but she didn't even touch her clothing!
Ye Huaran smiled, "During the reign of King Da, there was a Southern Ba witch doctor who developed a poison called 'Dead End.' Colorless and tasteless, upon inhalation, one's strength is lost, and within 24 hours, one dies in excruciating abdominal pain. After death, the body's flesh and skin become flaccid, shrinking to the size of a monkey, three parts unlike a person, and seven parts resembling a monster. Does it sound familiar?"
The soft voice, like the tinkling of broken jade, sounded delightful but like funeral bells from hell, striking her eardrums one by one.
Shao Yingying's bloodshot pupils suddenly widened, her eyeballs seemed to want to pop out of their sockets, her breathing heavy.
The hero's dead end, the end of the hero.
Shao Yingying was certainly familiar with this poison.
Back then, it was her and her third brother who, working together, manipulated the relationship between Xie Yu Bai and his most trusted lieutenant, He Buxian, and tricked He Buxian, that fool, into poisoning Xie Yu Bai's food with "Dead End," making it possible to kill Xie Yu Bai smoothly. But only the one who finally knew the truth about poisoning Xie Yu Bai, who even attempted to assassinate her and her third brother, to avenge Xie Yu Bai, He Buxian himself, and her third brother, were the only two people in the world who knew. How did Aisin Gioro Dongzhu know? And from whom did he obtain this long-lost "Dead End"?
"Only do what you can justify. Shao Yingying, do you believe that there are gods three feet above your head? Oh, of course you don't believe, otherwise, how could you only covet the property of my Ruisu Wangfu, collude with bandits, plunder my Ruisu Wangfu, and commit such heartless deeds? Big brother became permanently disabled in that banditry. He was the first associate of the Forbidden Guards and the military adviser of the royal advisory house. He should have been the most dazzling crown prince of Da Yan, but in the end, he spent his life accompanied by injuries, illnesses, and a wheelchair! Second brother accidentally discovered evidence of your dealings with the bandits. He confronted you face to face, and you, in front of him, wept bitterly, knelt down to beg him not to expose you, saying that you were just momentarily misguided. Second brother refused, so you... you tied him up and made him addicted to opium! You knew how much second brother valued his reputation, how could he accept such humiliation from you? In the end, second brother died from opium overdose. Third brother died under mysterious circumstances after attending one of your banquets! And my mother, my poor mother, went mad because of the deaths of her three sons..."
Ye Huaran brought up one of Shao Yingying's crimes and slashed her face with a knife.
Shao Yingying widened her eyes in horror.
These things, she thought she had done in secret, how did Aisin Gioro Dongzhu know about them?!
In the end, Shao Yingying's face was like a blood-red spider web, crisscrossing with bloodstains.
As the poison of "Dead End" took effect, Shao Yingying couldn't move her body, her body spasmed and collapsed on the bed, constantly convulsing, tears and bloodstains intermingling on her face, horrifyingly.
...
"I'm not drunk. There's no need to support me, and no need to follow me."
"Third Lord... Madam instructed. Today is your big day with Third Miss, you can't go to Dongzhu Garden tonight to find Lady Ye, it will ruin the etiquette..."
Ningxiang supported Xie Fangqin with both hands, biting her lip, looking at Xie Fangqin with difficulty.
If she hadn't gone to the kitchen to get hot water and accidentally saw Third Lord walking towards Dongzhu Garden, and then timely reported it to the old lady, the Third Lord would probably have spent the night at Dongzhu Garden tonight.
Ningxiang's eyes flashed with envy.
Could it be that these men were really all drugged by Aisin Gioro Dongzhu?
Shao Yingying, who was poisoned, was like a dying person who had regained consciousness, desperately twisting her body and making whimpering sounds.
Years of vigilance made Xie Fangqin sense something was wrong the moment he pushed open the door.
Xie Fangqin's footsteps paused when he stepped over the threshold, one foot retracted from inside, and suddenly, a figure rushed out from inside, throwing himself into his arms, shaking violently, "Brother Duan, is it you?"
"Dongzhu? What are you doing here? Why is there so much blood on you? Did Shao Yingying do this?! Don't be afraid, Brother Duan will definitely take care of it..."
Xie Fangqin's words were not finished, when a sharp pain suddenly came from his abdomen.
Xie Fangqin incredulously raised his head, meeting the extremely beautiful but extremely cold eyes of Ye Huaran.
(End of this chapter)