“It was brought over by Old Li, just like usual. This old servant checked it and didn’t notice anything unusual!” Nanny Zhou said as she took it back to sniff it again. Chu Ruoyan said, “Invite the military doctor over first. Heiya, go bring Old Li here.”

The two acknowledged the order. A short while later, the military doctor arrived.

He picked up the goat milk soup and his expression changed drastically. “Which suicidal fool dared to add aconite to this?”

Nanny Zhou shuddered in fright. “What did you say? Aconite?”

That was an abortifacient, and its effects were even stronger than musk!

The military doctor took a small taste and nodded. “That’s right, it’s aconite! This medicine has a pungent and sweet taste. It’s very easy to identify on its own, but when placed in goat milk soup, its scent is masked by the aroma, making it hard to detect! Thank goodness Madam didn’t drink it!”

A cold sweat broke out on Nanny Zhou’s back. If she had drunk it, the twins in her womb…

She immediately fell to her knees. “Miss! It is all this old servant’s negligence. Please punish me, Miss!”

Chu Ruoyan said, “A thief can plot for a thousand days, but one cannot guard against a thief for a thousand days. Please get up, Nanny.”

At this moment, Heiya lifted the tent flap and walked in, saying in a deep voice, “Madam! Old Li has disappeared. They say he vanished after delivering the goat milk soup to you this morning. The cooks are also looking everywhere for him!”

Chu Ruoyan’s eyes flashed as she slowly nodded. “I understand. Heiya, escort the doctor back first. As for this matter…” She summoned the military doctor closer and whispered a few instructions. The doctor looked puzzled after hearing them, but still said, “Please rest assured, Madam, this old man has memorized it all.”

After seeing off the military doctor, Nanny Zhou finally asked, “Miss, who do you think it could be?”

Chu Ruoyan narrowed her eyes. “I’ve only been in the military camp for a few days. Since I haven’t offended anyone, it must mean I’m standing in someone’s way…”

“Are you talking about Pei Bingqing? Does she have that kind of courage?”

“Even if she had the courage, she wouldn’t have the means.” Chu Ruoyan recalled the noble young lady who couldn’t even lie smoothly when they first met, and her eyes grew darker. “But even if it isn’t her, it’s likely related to her. The person behind this is targeting me and my children. If something happens to us, who stands to gain the most?”

“The Pei family!” Nanny Zhou said decisively. “Miss, we must tell Master about this immediately. Otherwise, if they can poison you once, they can do it twice or three times. This is too dangerous!”

She pondered for a moment and shook her head. “The imperial court recently sent a subjugation army, and he has gone to the frontlines in Xuzhou. There is no need to distract him with this. Don’t worry, I already have a countermeasure.” Saying this, she picked up the goat milk soup and poured it all out onto the ground.

As ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‍night fell, Chu Ruoyan started to bleed.

Most of the accompanying military doctors were called over. Shadows overlapped inside the tent, and only Nanny Zhou’s crying pleas could be heard. “I beg you, you must save our Miss! She is carrying the little masters!”

The soldiers guarding outside the tent exchanged glances, all revealing looks of sympathy.

After all, this County Princess Changle had fled the capital with her entire family to seek refuge with their Lord. Who would have thought she would end up in such a state.

Suddenly, someone approached, and they hurriedly greeted, “Vanguard Qu!”

Qu Jiang stroked his beard. “What happened inside?”

One of the soldiers quickly explained. A hint of joy flashed in Qu Jiang’s eyes, but he feigned shock and said, “Is that so? Then when Madam called for a doctor during the day, it was also for…”

“Yes, Doctor Zhang was sighing constantly when he left. I reckon he had already noticed something was wrong back then!” The soldier’s face was full of regret, but Qu Jiang strode off toward Doctor Zhang’s tent.

Inside the main tent, the invited military doctors looked at each other in dismay.

Chu Ruoyan sat leisurely on the bed, sipping tea. “Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Later, I will have Nanny Zhou distribute a consultation fee of ten taels of silver to each of you. I must trouble you all to stand here for a little while longer.”

The military doctors were full of questions, but upon hearing they would receive a consultation fee, none of them had any objections.

Heiya walked in. “Third Miss, a servant from the Pei family came by, and Qu Jiang came too. In addition, Young General Mei, who stayed behind to guard the camp, also arrived and ordered the doctors to save you and the children at all costs!”

Chu Ruoyan nodded, while Nanny Zhou frowned. “Why did so many people come? Then who exactly is…”

Before she could finish her sentence, the tent flap was suddenly lifted.

A man in a dark martial outfit strode in, bringing with him the chill of the wind and frost. “What happened? A-Yan, are you hurt?”

Chu Ruoyan was startled and hurriedly stood up from the bed. The others bowed one after another. “Greetings, My Lord!”

It turned out to be Yan Zheng, who had rushed back from Xuzhou City!

Chu Ruoyan was both moved and heartbroken. “Why did you… Didn’t I order this to be kept a secret? Who let it slip!”

Yan Zheng looked her up and down several times. Only after confirming she was fine did he pull her into his arms. “During the day, I heard that you summoned a military doctor, so I rushed back immediately. Thank goodness you’re alright!”

The two embraced for a moment before Yan Zheng let her go. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the others. “What exactly is going on?”

The military doctors quickly lowered their heads. Chu Ruoyan hurriedly said, “It has nothing to do with them. It’s… a rat appeared in my tent. I originally wanted to catch it before handing it over to you, but I didn’t expect you to rush back early!”

Yan Zheng instantly understood her meaning. “Meng Yang, go take a look.”

This trusted guard immediately accepted the order and left. Before long, he brought back two people.

“Madam, Doctor Zhang is clamoring to see you…”

Before Meng Yang could finish speaking, he was loudly interrupted by Doctor Zhang. “Madam, we caught him! I waited in my tent all day, and he was the only one who came looking for me, asking specifically about Madam’s condition after drinking the goat milk soup!”

The man raised his head, and everyone around lost their voices in shock. “Vanguard Qu?”

It turned out that this person was exactly Qu Jiang!

Yan Zheng looked at him coldly, but he said proudly, “Good, good! To think that I, wise all my life, would actually fall into the hands of a woman like you!”

Chu Ruoyan’s expression turned slightly cold. “You keep claiming to look down on women, but could it be that you were not born of a woman?”

Qu Jiang flew into a rage. “You witch! Cease your arrogance! If you hadn’t bewitched My Lord and caused him to suffer severe injuries to save you, how could we have failed to conquer Taizhou by now? If you weren’t so jealous and refused to let the Pei family’s daughter marry into the household, how could things be so difficult at every step, even causing those scholars to write manifestos denouncing Yan and ruining My Lord’s reputation?”

Chu Ruoyan’s heart went cold as she looked at Yan Zheng. “You suffered severe injuries?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep