FBC – Chapter 54 Finished the Soup

It was heard that Dong Qing and Dong Hua had just returned from the kitchen carrying the dinner.

Gu Hua and Zhou Zhilian were whispering about some plot in a storybook as they walked to the outer hall together.

“What happened to you?”

Gu Hua immediately noticed Dong Qing’s swollen face and rushed over to check.

“It’s nothing,” Dong Qing smiled.

Dong Hua, still upset, couldn’t help but spill what had just happened.

Gu Hua frowned. “What right does Yinzhi have to hit you?”

Even a dog’s owner should be respected. Dong Hua and the others were born into the Guogong Mansion; now that Yinzhi is backed by a concubine title, she’s become more arrogant—or just dumber?

Zhou Zhilian tugged Gu Hua’s sleeve. “It’s fine. I have a way to deal with her. Let’s eat first.”

After dinner, she needed to keep an eye on her while she made dessert for the lord.

Strike while the iron is hot.

Zhou Zhilian instructed Dong Hua, “Dong Hua, help Dong Qing reduce the swelling. I’ll serve the young lady myself.”

“Alright, thank you, Sister Zhou.”

Zhou Zhilian opened the food box. “Wow, this soup smells amazing.”

She lifted the lid—a rich yellow broth steamed with aroma.

Gu Hua was puzzled. It was normal for her eldest sister to prepare tonic soup for her husband and Mu Junyan, but for her?

Wasn’t she always worried she’d seduce Mu Junyan and climb above her?

Was this a goodwill gesture or something else?

Zhou Zhilian also found it strange and called loudly toward the side rooms, “Has Miss Shen Li inspected this?”

Dong Qing replied, “Yes. Miss Shen personally checks all the young lady’s food.”

Only then did Zhou Zhilian relax and scooped up some ingredients from the soup. “They really used quality stuff. It’s rare of her to be this kind. You should really nourish yourself.”

Since Shen Li had inspected it, Gu Hua also felt reassured.

She’d been preoccupied at noon and barely ate. Now she was hungry.

A bowl of hot soup was just what she needed to warm her stomach.

Guanshan Tower

Once Dong Mo set the meal in the side hall, he invited Mu Junyan over.

“What is this?”

Mu Junyan watched Dong Mo open the lid of the stew pot—there was a thick layer of oil floating on top, which made him frown.

He had never been fond of indulgent food, especially not heavy ones.

“It’s tonic soup made for you by the young madam,” Dong Mo added. “An identical bowl was sent to Miss Hua as well.”

The lord worked hard, and rarely ate properly. Dong Mo thought that since this soup was the same as Miss Hua’s, perhaps the lord would be willing to drink it?

Mu Junyan furrowed his brows.

He never touched any of Gu Wanru’s supplements—he’d have them thrown away without a glance.

But hearing Gu Hua had also received one, his usual vigilance kicked in.

He opened the lid and sniffed. There wasn’t an overwhelming medicinal smell, but something felt… off.

Could Gu Wanru truly have good intentions?

“Call Physician Sun over.”

Dong Mo’s face paled slightly. Could the young madam really have tampered with the lord’s food?

The lord was always sharp. Dong Mo, terrified, rushed to fetch Physician Sun.

Soon, Physician Sun arrived.

He sniffed and tasted a bit, then nodded solemnly. “There’s something added.”

Dong Mo went pale. “What… what was added?”

Mu Junyan’s face darkened. “Dong Mo, hurry—tell Gu Hua not to drink it.”

Dong Mo’s soul nearly left his body. He turned into a gust of wind and dashed out.

Mu Junyan’s temple veins throbbed.

Judging by the time and distance, that bowl of soup likely reached Gu Hua first.

If they failed to stop her in time…

Physician Sun was stunned. He lowered his voice and asked, “Shall I prepare a remedy?”

Mu Junyan frowned. “Is it like the usual?”

People had tried drugging him before with all sorts of aphrodisiacs. He’d been affected once or twice, but with his strong constitution and willpower, he treated it as merely a bad experience.

After multiple instances, he learned to recognize them.

So, any strange food or soup—he simply avoided it.

Physician Sun shook his head. “This seems to be the potent kind used in brothels like Yichun Courtyard. I might not be able to neutralize it. If more than a quarter hour has passed after consumption, I fear…”

Yichun Courtyard—that’s where that woman Yao Yao once stayed.

“Can Shen Li detect it?”

Physician Sun hesitated. “She… hasn’t studied this kind. These high-grade concoctions are refined multiple times and are very hard to trace. With the soup being so dense, it’s likely we can’t identify the exact ingredients right away.”

Mu Junyan rubbed his forehead.

Looking at the sky…

Yayun Pavilion was the closest to the kitchen…

If she drank it, and more than a quarter-hour passed, for someone as delicate as Gu Hua, the effects would be overwhelming.

Mu Junyan rubbed his fingers.

“You go prepare a decoction. I’ll go check on her.”

He didn’t wait for Physician Sun’s reply and strode straight into the night.

Gu Hua had just finished the soup and was chatting with Zhou Zhilian over dinner.

Before long, she began to feel flushed, sweating fine beads over her skin and face.

Her delicate face turned rosy from the heat.

Zhou Zhilian noticed something was off. “Why are you so hot?”

Gu Hua fanned herself with a handkerchief. “Maybe the soup was too nourishing. I rarely drink something that rich.”

A wave of restlessness spread through her, dulling her appetite.

Her back was damp with sweat, sticking to her inner garments, extremely uncomfortable.

She touched her cheeks, confused by the sudden heat.

Worse still, her heart was ignited with a strange fire—it burned so fiercely it made her restless and agitated.

Even her throat felt inflamed and dry, making her cough.

For some reason, memories of the two times she’d been intimate with Mu Junyan flashed in her mind.

Was it because she’d been thinking about seducing him tonight, that she started hallucinating?

“No, something’s wrong. You must be sick. I’ll go get Shen Li.”

Zhou Zhilian noticed the abnormality and quickly stood to leave.

As soon as she stepped out, she saw Dong Mo running in, panting heavily.

Seeing Zhou Zhilian, he shouted, “Did she drink the soup?!”

Zhou Zhilian was confused. “Soup?”

“That soup is dangerous!” Dong Mo didn’t care for propriety—he stepped right in.

Gu Hua was reclining on the couch, lazily fanning herself, her loose neckline exposing her collarbone. The thin material was clinging to her from the sweat—she looked alluring and vulnerable.

Startled, Dong Mo hurried back out, pacing like an ant on a hot pan. “There’s something wrong with the soup.”

“Ah!”

Zhou Zhilian stomped her foot. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? I was just going to get Shen Li.”

“I’ll go! You stay with Miss Hua!” Dong Mo didn’t wait—he sprinted away.

Just as he reached the courtyard gate, he saw Mu Junyan approaching, face set and eyes cold. Dong Mo turned pale.

It was too late.

He trailed behind Mu Junyan like a dog, mumbling, “It’s over…”

“Lord?”

Zhou Zhilian was just about to enter when she heard the footsteps behind her and turned.

Mu Junyan looked at her. “She ate?”

“She only finished. But she’s burning up.”

“How much of the soup did she drink?”

He asked straight away, startling Zhou Zhilian. She thought it was just concern and answered honestly, “She drank it all.”

“All of it?”

“Yes.”

Zhou Zhilian noticed his expression change, though she didn’t know why.

“Miss Hua has been tired lately. The soup was made from pigeon…”

Before she could finish, Mu Junyan stormed into the room like the wind.

He knew Zhou Zhilian and Gu Hua were about the same age and that Zhou Zhilian, having grown up in the Guogong Mansion, likely didn’t know much about the darker schemes of the world.

Zhou Zhilian turned to see Dong Mo muttering in circles: It’s over, it’s over, it’s over…

Her face turned white.

Was the soup… poisoned?

“You, go fetch Physician Sun and Shen Li!”

Zhou Zhilian urged, then turned and ran back into the room.

Dong Mo howled and rushed out of the courtyard.

Zhou Zhilian had barely turned the screen corner when she saw the scene inside—and instantly understood what had been added to that soup.

Her heart clenched. She immediately turned back toward the side room, where Dong Qing and Dong Hua stood frozen.

They had clearly overheard.

Zhou Zhilian quickly ordered, “Don’t just stand there—prepare hot water. A medicinal bath, right now!”

“Okay.” Dong Hua snapped back to her senses, grabbed Dong Qing, and swiftly, silently set to work.

Zhou Zhilian didn’t know how to feel.

She was both happy for the lord and worried for Gu Hua.

Since things had already come to this, the only option was to manage the situation the best they could.

She glanced up—and saw a shadow perched atop the wall.

Her heart calmed a little.

Chiyu would have the dark guards on alert. Within ten meters, no one unrelated would get near.

Gu Hua was parched.

She opened her misty eyes, groping around the low tea table, grabbing a cup and tipping it into her mouth.

Her sheer sleeves slipped, revealing snow-white arms.

Her eyes were misty, cheeks flushed pink.

The ties of her robe had come undone, the collar slack. One side slipped off her shoulder, revealing fragrant skin and a sweat-drenched undergarment.

Mu Junyan stepped around the screen and saw it all.

He froze.

That wave of heat that always surged when she neared him rushed up again.

Mu Junyan had experienced this kind of drug before and knew just how unbearable it was.

If the antidote wasn’t right, it would only slightly ease the symptoms—and make her suffer more.

That kind of agony… For someone like her, who cried easily—how could she possibly endure it?