Not Your Typical Villianess

Madam Lu's main room, the Duke's mansion 

"lock her up in the detention cell at the back and put guards on her until we have decided on what to do with her. There is no need to question her, we might not get the right answer from her. Instead, she might claim it was someone else, like say me. That is going to be believable since I do have much to benefit from if something happens to the child. Brother-in-law can question her when he gets back and get the right answer. Meanwhile, let her be taken away".

Madam Lu followed her gaze and nodded. There was reason in what Su Liya said, she quickly understood that Su Liya intended to say something and she didn't want Tian Tian present. Madam Lu called in two of her guards, "take this treacherous maid to the detainment cell. I want around the clock guards on her"

"Yes," the two guards bowed. They grabbed Tian Tian's arms, lifted her and dragged her away. With her plans botched and brought to light, she lost all strength to resist her painful end. She had expected that when she decided to go against Zhu Fengyin and the family.

She just submitted herself to the Lu family's upcoming torture. She had no intention of revealing who gave the order since she could not be with her love in the end. She would settle for just protecting him till the end.

Su Liya waited a few minutes for the guards and Tian Tian to be long gone before speaking, "Mother, I think that it is in our best interest to tighten up security and check for spies. The fact that someone as close as Tian Tian could have access to poison just shows us that our security and staff have been compromised".

"All the more reason why we should have questioned Tian Tian before sending her away. What if someone gets to her before we have the chance of questioning her? We will lose our suspect and the only method of finding out who is behind this," Lu Yiling argued. While she understood what Su Liya was getting at, she couldn't help but worry that they would lose a good opportunity to find out who is behind this.

It was Zhu Fengyin that answered her, "Yaya is right, Even if she is killed. It won't matter since I have already guessed who is behind this. I asked for Steward Lu because I think that The Duke and General Lu should be informed of this immediately. For him to make such a risky move like this... I think that a storm is about to hit us"

Lu Yiling gazed at her eye wide, when she heard her mention that she knew who poisoned her. She opened her mouth to voice out the question "who is it?" When the aids announced the arrival of Physician Gu. She glanced at the short aged wrinkled face of Physician Gu and shut her mouth. 'I will save the question for after he leaves' she thought and stop back.

Before Physician Gu could bend to make his salute, he was stopped by madam Lu. MadamLu raised her hand to stop him, "Don't stand on ceremony, please check the type of poison the is in the bottle". She waved her hands, gesturing for Aunt He to hand over the bottle confiscated from Tian Tian over to the Imperial Physician.

Aunt He took the bottle out of her sleeve and handed it over to the Physician. She stepped back after that was done and watched the physician open the bottle bring it under his nose.

Physicians Gu was shocked when the maid rushed into his quarters to call him over. However, it all made sense not that he had arrived. He took the small bottle from Aunt He and pulled the lid up. There was a faint fruity scent coming from the bottle, he brought the bottle under his nose. He smelled an array of scents from flowers to herb before finally pinpointing the main ingredient of the poison. 

He sighed and shut the lid then looked up, "it Is Gui powder, Your grace. It is a poison local to the Droko tribe in the south. It is very deadly in its pure form but the Gui powder that was stored here is diluted. It is not as deadly to adults as it is to children, it would weaken a man" his troubled gaze fell on Zhu Fengyin. "When consumed by a pregnant woman it causes a miscarriage or in worse cases infertility. It is very dangerous for women because it causes infertility when taken."

Zhu Fengyin balled up her fist and looked away. No matter what she thought, she couldn't pinpoint what she had done to warn this much hate from Zhu Faye. Both then and now, he refused to let her have peace. 

There was a painful silence after he said that, they all had mellow expressions as they stared intently at the bowl of soup. Imperial Physician Gu glanced at the bowl of soup that was the target of their gazes and then at Zhu Fengyin.

He wet his lips, "based off of your expressions, forgive me for asking but did anyone take the poisoned soup?"

"No, we found it about the poisoning before anyone could take it" Lu Yiling replied.

"Good, this particular type of Gui is difficult to treat and even when treated few survive the treatment and even when they survive few go on to have children without later complications. It is good that no one was poisoned"

"Amitabha" Madam Lu chanted glanced at her daughter-in-law and the heavens. "Thank the gods that you caught her Ling'er, imagine if you didn't, I would lose my grandson and we will be put on a difficult spot. Please doctor, check her pulse".

"Yes," he moved closer to Zhu Fengyin and took her outstretched hands in his. He placed his index finger on the nerves at her wrist and took a reading. Her blood was flowing properly, she was healthy. There wasn't any poison in her system which was good. He smiled and stood straight, "there is no need to worry madam, her grace and the child is healthy, she was a little spooked by these things. After some rest, she will be as good as new"

"Oh, that is good. Please see the Doctor off" Madam Lu said to her maids. Steward Lu who stood at the door went in as the Imperial physician was escorted out. He was a middle-aged man in his early fifties who was dressed in a brown uniform and kept a full beard. He came from a minor side branch of the Lu family that has served as Steward's for generations.

He bowed at Madam Lu, "Mistress".

Madam Lu, who was more relaxed now that imperial Physician Gu had gone. She looked up, "today is a free day from the court, why are Yingjie and Yaozhu are not back yet, uncle Lu".

"The Young masters were called over by his highness the Crown Prince on their way back from inspecting the stores."

"Did something happen in the capital that involved her Majesty or the Crown Prince?"

"Nothing major, it is just that they have been a lot of rumours going around about the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess consort. People claim that the couple never consummated their marriage and that they are guilty of lying to the Emperor that they did"

"What, who would spread such tales... Wait no need to answer that. I think I know who would, the Tong family are bad luck. The sooner the Crown Prince completely abandons that family the better for him. If he is not careful they will destroy his relationship with the Emperor. Emperor Zhong has never made it a secret his dislike for families like the Tong family. How long have they been there?"

"Over two hours, they left as soon as they were done with the inspection".

Adam Lu sat on her seat and muttered, 'they should be done by now. She looked at uncle Lu, "send word to them to come back. They are needed here for something important"

"Yes," Uncle Lu bowed and walked out.

Madam Lu glanced at her two daughters-in-law and daughter. "It has been hectic today, you all go have a rest. Most especially Fengyin, you should be stressed. About the issue of a maid, don't worry. I will send Aunt He over, I am sure Yingjie will have his plans".

Zhu Fengyin noted, "thanks mother".

"No need, I am only doing what I should. Please be at ease, do think too much about these things".

"I won't mother" 

"Good," she looked from Su Liya to Lu Yiling, "we don't know if there are any more spies placed around us so be observant. If you noticed anything strange, Don't hesitate to let me know. I will send someone to supervise the kitchen, this is the last we will hear of a poisoning!"

"Yes"

They all left leaving madam Lu to rest. Su Liya escorted Zhu Fengyin back to her room. She suspected that Zhu Fengyin would be beating herself up about what happened and wanted to check up on her.