"I'm afraid you won't dare to drink it," he said, turning to walk towards the flower hall, coldly tossing out, "Come in if you have the guts."
"Young Master Chu?" Several panicked voices sounded from behind him simultaneously.
Chu Qianyi, the son of the Right Prime Minister and the Empress Dowager's own nephew, had seen all sorts of situations. How could he be easily frightened? Therefore, he paid no mind to the little maids behind him. With a flick of his sleeve, he gracefully followed Mu Qingyao into the flower hall, his presence exuding immense charm.
The few little maids behind him exchanged glances. Only when their young lady's cold voice called out, "Serve tea," did they snap out of it.
"Miss?" Upon hearing Miss's tone, Mei Xin had no time to worry about others. If she angered Miss, she would be dismissed. She quickly scurried towards the flower hall.
In one corner of the flower hall, neat brocade chests were arranged, adorned with folded red silk flowers, radiating an atmosphere of festivity. Under the candlelight, the rosy hues bathed the entire hall in a hazy color.
Mu Qingyao sat in the host's seat, her face alight with a smile as radiant as flowing water, yet the smile held little warmth, displaying only superficial politeness.
"Young Master Chu, please have a seat."
"Third Miss is too kind," Chu Qianyi said, adjusting the hem of his robe and sitting down with elegant composure. His enchanting, dark eyes swept across the surroundings before finally resting on a golden bronze censer.
At that moment, incense burned within the censer, sending wisps of smoke curling upwards, filling the air with a unique floral fragrance.
This scent? Chu Qianyi's lips curled into a peculiar smile. "This scent is truly pleasant. The items in Third Miss's room are indeed different and extraordinary."
"As long as Young Master Chu can handle it, I have plenty of good things here."
Mu Qingyao's eyes gleamed with wisdom, a smile flickering within them. This time, her expression had relaxed in a way that was rarely seen.
Mei Xin brewed two cups of tea and served them, first presenting one to the guest. "Young Master Chu, please have some tea."
"Thank you," Chu Qianyi smiled with a reserved elegance.
His captivating gaze casually swept over Mei Xin, and she felt her heart flutter like a deer. She dared not linger by Young Master Chu's side and, holding the tray, walked to Mu Qingyao. "Miss, please have some tea."
"Mm," Mu Qingyao glanced at the maid. Her face was flushed, and her breathing was slightly uneven. It was evident that she was very excited. This little maid was truly smitten.
However, how could a noble young master like Chu Qianyi take a liking to a mere maid? If he were truly interested, she might even facilitate their union, but that was clearly unlikely.
It was said that anyone who had seen the elder Young Master Chu could not escape his enchanting charm. Yet, she didn't find him particularly special.
He was handsome, smiled harmlessly, and possessed an air of romantic charm. But one shouldn't judge by appearances alone. Who knew how dark his heart was? Mu Qingyao withdrew her gaze and picked up her teacup.
"Young Master Chu, please have some tea."
"Please," he said, casually lifting his teacup.
Warm steam billowed, and green tea leaves floated on the water, appearing fresh and tender, unfurling and tumbling with vitality.
There was nothing wrong with this tea. So, she took a sip. It was fragrant and mellow, flowing smoothly down her throat, invigorating her entire being. "Indeed, the things from Miss Mu San are good. This is the precious Da Hong Pao, something that cannot be bought even with a fortune."
"It's nothing, the Emperor sent it."
Mu Qingyao smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons, indicating her excellent mood. She spoke at a leisurely pace.
"I heard it was tribute from another country, so naturally, it's of fine quality. Since it's a rare occasion for Young Master Chu to visit Qingyao in the evening, I've brought it out to entertain my guest."
As it was tribute, it was naturally impossible for it to be adulterated. Moreover, she hadn't experienced any major discomfort since his arrival.
A hint of suspicion flickered in Chu Qianyi's eyes. Mu San, who dared to provoke him, shouldn't be acting so carelessly. Furthermore, given her current temperament, anyone who offended her wouldn't fare well.
As Chu Qianyi was pondering, he suddenly felt something was amiss. He felt dizzy, and fine beads of sweat broke out on his skin. Something was wrong!
"How is it? Does your head feel unresponsive?"
A pleasant voice sounded. Mu Qingyao slowly stood up, walked to Chu Qianyi's side, and looked at him with amusement.
The usually proud and self-assured elder Young Master Chu's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at her. "How did you do it?"
"Have you heard of 'cleverness defeating itself'?"
Mu Qingyao sneered after speaking, stepped back, and pointed to the incense in the bronze censer.
"That is just ordinary incense, but its ash is mixed with a type of grass, rush.
"The roots of this grass are non-toxic and can be used in medicine. The leaves are mildly toxic. For an ordinary person, there would be no significant harm. However, Young Master Chu, you pride yourself on your intelligence, so you actively resisted the scent.
"You didn't realize that by circulating your internal energy, you quickened your blood flow. What was a mildly toxic substance was thus rapidly distributed throughout your body, and therefore, you were poisoned."
Chu Qianyi shook his head forcefully, his dark eyes now veiled with a cold, thin anger. He stared intently at Mu Qingyao and then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Very good, very good."
This was becoming more and more interesting. This woman was clearly not a pawn to be manipulated. This meant that the future would be even more engaging. He decided to observe the situation. He slowly stood up.
"I admit defeat this time. Next time, I will definitely win back."
After speaking, Chu Qianyi flashed and moved towards the exit.
Mei Xin watched his tall figure stagger slightly and couldn't help but walk forward two steps, her voice filled with concern: "Young Master Chu."
Mu Qingyao paid no mind to Chu Qianyi's departure. After all, rush grass was not a highly potent poison. Even if one was poisoned, as long as they didn't circulate their internal energy, there would be no serious consequences. She believed that the intelligent Chu Qianyi understood this and would be fine.
However, her gaze was fixed intently on Mei Xin. Mei Xin's scalp tingled, and she looked at her in trepidation.
"Miss, what is it?"
"Mei Xin, don't say I didn't warn you. A self-proclaimed romantic like the elder Young Master Chu wouldn't casually take a liking to others. Don't provoke him; I fear you will be the one to suffer."
"Miss?" Mei Xin pursed her lips slightly. She knew Miss was speaking the truth, and she had never considered anything else. "This servant is fine."
"Mm, that's good," Mu Qingyao nodded. She truly feared Mei Xin would get hurt.
Recalling her past self, wasn't she just like Mei Xin now? Wholeheartedly believing in love, deeply in love with a man. But what did she gain in the end?
Although he hadn't betrayed her, in her heart, romantic love was paramount. She couldn't tolerate even a speck of dust in her eyes, which was why she had brought misfortune upon herself.
As the two were talking, Lü'er entered from outside. "Miss, Master is back."
As soon as Lü'er finished speaking, Prime Minister Mu entered with Mo Chou from outside. "Yao'er, we're back."
Mu Qingyao walked over and scanned her father from head to toe. Seeing that he was unharmed, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that Father is alright. I was worried."