flstandardbreds Chapter 134 Let's talk
Chapter 134 Let's talk
Xia Zhi nodded hurriedly, clutching the yellowed prescription, and quietly went out after getting dressed.
Late Autumn stayed by Qiao Qingshu's side, helping her apply medicine and lower her fever. A moment later, Summer Solstice returned with the medicine and prepared it.
Within an hour, Qiao Qingshu had taken the medicine, and the flush on her face and high fever gradually subsided.
She slowly regained consciousness.
He opened his eyes and asked, bewildered and weak.
"What's wrong with me?"
The three maids stood before the bed, their eyes filled with tears.
Tears kept falling in Lindong.
"Young lady, you're finally awake! You scared us to death!"
Xia Zhi wiped away her tears and spoke incoherently.
“Young lady, you’ve been unconscious for a long time. We got you some medicine before you woke up.”
Seeing that both of them were acting on emotion and unable to speak fluently, Qiao Qingshu's gaze fell on Wanqiu.
Late Autumn's concise and clear reply.
"Miss, you must have had a peach allergy. You slept soundly all night. We gave you some medicine this morning and that's how you woke up."
Qiao Qingshu frowned slightly, quickly recalling the food and tea she had consumed throughout the previous day.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, a suspicion forming in her mind.
At this moment, Late Autumn also said,
“We haven’t mentioned the girl’s allergy since this morning. The yard is being swept as usual, but someone came three times to ask about the eldest daughter’s whereabouts today.”
Qiao Qingshu's gaze met Wanqiu's.
Qiao Qingshu and Wanqiu said almost in unison,
"It's Qiao Qingle."
Late Autumn nodded and added,
"The Third Miss doesn't usually come to our courtyard, but this morning she circled our courtyard three times, and even called her maids and servants in to chat with her, asking about the Eldest Miss's whereabouts today."
Qiao Qingshu slowly propped herself up on her arms, trying to sit up. Lin Dong quickly stuffed a pillow behind her back to make her more comfortable.
Although Qiao Qingshu's high fever had subsided, her complexion was still weak and pale.
A disdainful smile appeared on her face.
"It's really hard to guard against. Last night, the white fungus and lotus seed soup tasted a little different from usual, but I was too tired to notice and ended up drinking the whole bowl."
Upon hearing this, Lin Dong was so frightened that she knelt down beside Qiao Qingshu's bed with a thud and cried out.
"Young lady, it wasn't me. Although I served the white fungus and lotus seed soup, I really didn't tamper with it."
Qiao Qingshu nodded weakly, gesturing for her to stand up.
She knew it couldn't be Lin Dong. Lin Dong had been devoted to her in her past life and would have been willing to take a knife for Qiao Qingshu.
How could such a loyal servant betray her?
She said weakly,
"Lin Dong, think carefully, who handled this bowl of soup last night?"
Lin Dong knelt on the ground, went through the process in his mind, and suddenly cried out.
“It’s Cui Mei from the Third Miss’s room! She saw me carrying soup last night. She smiled and talked to me, asking me what kind of soup smelled so good. Before I could say anything, she lifted the lid herself, leaned down and smelled it, and then immediately put it back on.”
“I’m annoyed by her lack of manners, but she’s not from our neighborhood, so I can’t really yell at her.”
Late Autumn clapped her hands.
"That makes sense! Third Miss knows our Eldest Miss is allergic to peaches, so she asked Cui Mei to put something in her soup. She was wandering around our courtyard early this morning, checking if our Miss was really too sick to get out of bed!"
"I told the servants to keep their mouths shut. When they went back, they said they hadn't found out anything. Maybe the Third Miss will come to see for herself!"
No sooner had the words been spoken than a maidservant came in to report.
"Eldest Miss, Third Miss wishes to see you."
It's true what they say, speak of the devil and he appears.
Late Autumn was so angry she gritted her teeth, put her hands on her hips, and angrily rebuked him.
"She actually dared to come! I'll give her a piece of my mind!"
As she was about to rush out, Qiao Qingshu gave her a look, and Xia Zhi quickly grabbed Wanqiu's waist.
Qiao Qingshu spoke slowly,
"You three go inside and hide first. I'll have a good talk with my third sister."
After saying that, he told the maid to go out and invite the people in.
He got up, dressed, and sat at the table drinking tea, holding a book of poems in his hands.
Qiao Qingle was so excited last night when Cui Mei told her that the stuff had been inserted that she couldn't sleep all night.
She had gone to great lengths to buy this peach juice from a quack doctor; the juice from this kind of Yuzhou sweet peach doesn't taste like peaches at all.
It won't be noticeable if mixed into lotus seed and white fungus soup.
Several years ago, Qiao Qingshu accidentally ate a pastry made from peaches, which caused her to have a fever for several days and nights, with a persistent red rash all over her body. She almost lost her life.
Qiao Qingle witnessed this thrilling scene firsthand, and she still remembers it vividly.
A tiny bit of peach flesh was enough to drag the older sister to the brink of hell.
Aunt He repeatedly warned her that she must never bring anything containing peaches near her eldest sister in the future.
Qiao Qingle could only nod blankly at the time.
Now they've learned how to harm people without anyone noticing.
She hoped that her older sister would have a high fever and fall into a deep sleep again, or better yet, die.
She got up at dawn and wandered around the courtyard of Zhuqingxuan with her maid several times, hoping to hear a scream.
That means her older sister really did get infected.
But even as dawn broke, Zhuqingxuan remained quiet.
Soon the gate to Zhuqingxuan's courtyard opened, and the maids and servants were sweeping and cleaning in the courtyard as usual.
There was absolutely nothing unusual about it.
Undeterred, she sent her maid, Cuimei, inside to befriend the old woman and inquire about what was happening in Qiao Qingshu's room.
But she received no information, so she couldn't contain her impatience and went to visit them in person.
When she entered the room, she saw Qiao Qingshu calmly drinking tea.
Her brow twitched; she wondered where things had gone wrong.
She called out hesitantly.
"big sister."
Qiao Qingshu slowly raised her head. There was no rash or high fever on her face, and her expression was calm and composed.
Qiao Qingle couldn't help but feel displeased. She thought to herself that it must be that damned girl Cuimei who didn't put the thing in!
He gritted his teeth, so angry that he wanted to go back immediately and beat Cui Mei to death.
Qiao Qingshu spoke at this moment,
"Le'er? What brings you here so early in the morning?"
Qiao Qingle pursed her lips and made up a reason.
"I...I just wanted to embroider a handkerchief, and I came here to find a pattern for you, big sister."
Qiao Qingshu couldn't help but chuckle, finding it quite amusing.
"Everyone in the Qiao family knows that my embroidery skills are poor. Why would my third sister come to me for a pattern? Your reason is absurd."
Qiao Qingle's face flushed instantly, and she realized how ridiculous her reason was.
She chuckled twice and said...
"That's true, I'll go ask my second sister for it."
After saying that, he turned to leave, but the door was suddenly slammed shut by Qiao Qingshu.
She said with a smile,
"Third sister, since you're here, let's have a good chat."
Qiao Qingle retreated somewhat guiltily, stammering as she spoke.
"What...what do we have to talk about?"