Chapter 85
**Chapter 85: Is Li Yao Poisoned?**
The Yan Wang paused mid-bite, as if he had just heard the most absurd tale.
"Pampered and arrogant?"
When had Shen Wei ever been indulgent?
His Wei Wei was the most considerate of all. Even during her pregnancy, she had never asked him for anything, not even when she was carrying their child. She still took the time to select fabrics, ensuring that the maidservants prepared his autumn garments in advance.
The Wang Fei continued her incessant chatter, “Back in the day, those pregnant concubines in the Wang Fu were just like Shen. Once they were with child, they would constantly demand from the Wang Ye. They wanted the best food, the finest accommodations, and all sorts of tonics for their pregnancies. Wang Ye, your affection for Shen is commendable, but there must be limits.”
The Yan Wang’s movements slowed as he chewed.
Seeing this, the Wang Fei thought he was absorbing her words. A flicker of joy ignited in her heart, and she deliberately added, “With Shen pregnant, it’s even more inconvenient for her to attend to you. I’ve found a new girl for you, beautiful and dignified. If you have the time, you might want to take a look?”
Men, by nature, are fickle; a new love often makes them forget the old.
The Wang Fei was convinced that once the Yan Wang had a new favorite, Shen Wei would soon fall from grace. All women were essentially the same; what difference did it make who the Yan Wang slept with?
*Smack!*
The white jade chopsticks in the Yan Wang’s hand slammed down onto the rosewood table. The Wang Fei jumped in shock, her eyes widening at the sight of his dark, brooding face.
His gaze was terrifying, filled with disappointment, disgust, and irritation—there was not a trace of affection, only a chilling distance.
The Wang Fei dropped her chopsticks in fear, quickly standing up and awkwardly clutching onto Liu Mama’s arm, her heart racing as she wondered why the Yan Wang was so angry.
Could it be that Shen Wei, taking advantage of her pregnancy, had been whispering slanders about her in the Yan Wang’s ear?
Each word from the Yan Wang dripped with hostility, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure: “A new girl? Wang Fei, you certainly have a knack for this.”
The Yan Wang was deeply disappointed in the Wang Fei.
To be fair, he didn’t consider himself a man who chased after beauty. Unlike Heng Wang, who was known for his flirtations, the Yan Wang had grown weary of the endless parade of beautiful women. He needed a partner who resonated with him on a deeper level. With Shen Wei, the void in his heart had been filled; he no longer sought novelty in new women.
He was content with Shen Wei by his side for the rest of his life.
Yet, the Wang Fei continued to seek out so-called new girls for him.
What did she take him for?
A stallion in a breeding stable? A boar in a farmhouse?
Even the esteemed emperor of Da Qing, after weathering many storms, had only one empress, one favored consort, and four concubines left in his harem. As a Wang Ye, he had more women in his household than the emperor himself, and recently, he had been heavily criticized by the censors at the Yushi Tai.
The Wang Fei was filled with confusion but could only reluctantly admit her fault: “Wang Ye, I... I spoke out of turn.”
After years of a marriage that was more for show than substance, the Wang Fei had no idea what the Yan Wang truly thought, nor did she understand what mistake she had made.
The Yan Wang replied coolly, “There’s no need to bring new girls into the Wang Fu. Mind your own territory; if you reach too far, you might get burned.”
The Wang Fei was taken aback. What did he mean by “no need to bring new girls into the Wang Fu”?
Just as she was about to press for clarification, a loud commotion erupted outside. A young maid stumbled in, breathless, exclaiming, “Wang Fei, it’s bad! Yao Zhuzi has been poisoned!”
The Wang Fei’s head buzzed as if struck by a heavy stone.
Li Yao was her only daughter, and her future depended on Li Yao’s marriage to secure her position in the Wang Fu.
Forgetting her composure, she turned to the Yan Wang, her eyes red with urgency, “Wang Ye! Yao’er is in trouble; please come with me to see!”
The Yan Wang had a soft spot for this daughter as well.
Upon hearing that she had been poisoned, he suppressed his rising agitation and went to Li Yao’s courtyard himself.
Li Yao resided in the Mu Dan Yuan, a courtyard exquisitely decorated. The sky had darkened, and bright lanterns hung high, illuminating every corner.
The servants had already gone to summon the house physician.
The Wang Fei hurried into Li Yao’s chamber. The eight-year-old girl lay pale, deeply unconscious. Her lips were devoid of color, and white foam clung to the corners of her mouth, while the floor bore a pool of vomit.
“Yao’er! Yao’er, open your eyes and look at your mother!” The Wang Fei cried, tears streaming down her face.
But Li Yao remained in a deep stupor, lying on the bed like a lifeless body.
The Yan Wang’s expression darkened, worry flickering in his eyes.
A maid knelt on the ground, trembling as she recounted the events. Li Yao had been studying tea preparation in the tea room next door all afternoon, and had not taken a break until dusk. Just moments ago, she had suddenly begun to foam at the mouth, vomiting and fainting, appearing to have been poisoned.
The maidservants had hurriedly carried her back to her chamber, while another went to inform the Wang Fei.
The Yan Wang furrowed his brow and asked, “What did Yao’er eat today?”
The maid replied, trembling, “Yao Zhuzi had little for lunch, just strolled in the garden in the afternoon, then returned to the tea room to study. She only drank some tea and didn’t eat anything else.”
The guards checked the tea in the tea room, and it was found to be free of poison.
Li Yao’s lunch had also been shared with the old mama who attended her, and she showed no signs of poisoning, indicating that the meal was safe.
The Wang Fei wiped her tears, her anger flaring, “If it’s neither the tea nor the lunch, then she must have eaten something contaminated! Think carefully, what else did Yao’er eat?”
At that moment, another maid fell to her knees, stammering, “Wang Ye, Wang Fei, I remember! This afternoon, when Yao Zhuzi returned to the tea room, she had a bit of brown sugar on her lips. She said she met Shen Zhuzi while wandering in the garden and asked for a bowl of liang gao (cold cake).”
Aside from her lunch and tea, Li Yao had only eaten the liang gao that Shen Wei had sent her.
The Wang Fei’s fury erupted!
She had truly underestimated Shen Wei. Just after becoming pregnant, Shen Wei was already trying to eliminate obstacles for her unborn child, attempting to harm the Wang Fei’s child!
Liu Mama discreetly tugged at the Wang Fei’s sleeve, and she managed to calm herself slightly, striving to maintain her composure amidst the surging anger.
After all, she had experienced the intrigues of the Wang Fu and had seen similar tactics before. Although all evidence pointed to Shen Wei, it was also possible that other concubines were framing her.
Liu Qiao’er, Liu Ru Yan, Zhang Miao Yu, and those other concubines could all be the true culprits behind the scenes.
Despite their seemingly gentle demeanor, the Wang Fei knew the malice hidden deep within their hearts.
Perhaps several of the side concubines had long harbored resentment towards Shen Wei and sought to use this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone—overthrow Shen Wei and cripple the Wang Fei.
With red-rimmed eyes, the Wang Fei clenched the silk handkerchief in her hand, tears brimming as she said to the Yan Wang, “Wang Ye, Yao’er has suffered this unwarranted disaster, it’s truly pitiful. Please, Wang Ye, summon Shen to inquire about this matter. If Shen is wronged, we can follow the clues to find the true culprit behind this.”
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